


An Eternal History

by Seeker38



Category: Xenoblade Chronicles, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-09
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:47:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 29
Words: 244,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26383627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seeker38/pseuds/Seeker38
Summary: "Drivers dying, Titans dying, the Blade just keep on living through it all. It's a never-ending cycle. An eternal history."One change in the far flung past piles endless changes upon each other. Four months before boy was fated to meet girl, that boy awakens a treasure beneath the Cloud Sea. Thus the flow of history begins to move again. What changes in the past led to these events and what will follow? Contains elements of XC1.
Relationships: Hikari | Mythra/Rex, Nia/Rex (Xenoblade Chronicles 2)
Comments: 671
Kudos: 295





	1. Beneath The Clouds [Chapter One: Awakenings]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story begins four months prior to the canon start of XC2. However, while there will be an immediately obvious change in the first chapter expect many more. This story will also contain elements of XC1, although you'll have to wait to see those. 
> 
> I picked the title based on Vandham's speech to the group after recovering the Core Crystal from the dead Titan in Chapter 3. I felt like it fit better than my original title of "Memories Through Eternity".

Leering Danfort spread its massive feathered blue wings and pushed off from its perch atop Godsford Isle. It swept low, its descent and the wind from its passage spooking a band of wandering Tirkin below. Quickly it spiraled down, rising up with a wave of a warm air from below the Cloudway. 

Danfort made a lazy loop around the isles that made up the Leftherian Archipelago, tilting its body as it passed over the various villages so it could watch the humans below. For their part the Leftherians mostly ignored the abnormally large Taos, having long since grown used to its habits. The villagers of the provincial town by the beach had named it many years ago, but Danfort was barely intelligent to understand more than that. It knew that even though the draconic Titan hadn’t been around in years that the humans of Leftheria were off limits. A scar on its upper back had taught it that.

The Taos passed out from the boundaries of the archipelago and out over the greater Cloud Sea. An endless expanse of white that roiled and shifted with the tides, the sea held food, danger, and countless curiosities beneath its surface. Danfort made a quick dive and snatched up some fish with its mighty maw, letting the cloudy substance of the sea foam out of the corners of its mouth. 

With food acquired it continued its flight. Like most Taos, Danfort enjoyed long leisurely flights. Sleeping for weeks at a time and then taking these extended treks was the way of life for a Taos. Slowly, but surely it made its way far from the shores of Leftheria until not a single isle was in sight. 

Over the next few days it passed into the area widely considered uncharted territory by the humans. Occasionally it would pause for food or to alight upon a particularly interesting Titan lumbering across the Cloud Sea. Large ones, but most with no human life. A few small creatures not worth Danfort’s time, but it did pause to watch them nonetheless. 

On one of these stray islands it spent nearly an hour curiously watching a shimmering blue light that hung a few feet above the back of the mid-sized Titan. The light turned in place and something about it felt instinctively wrong to Danfort. Finally, after seeing nothing new for such a long stretch, Danfort launched itself back into the air. As it flew away the blue object flashed brighter and several humanoid figures appeared. 

Two days later it found itself growing bored of its journey and preparing to begin its return trip. There was one last stop on its path, the funny floating Titan with all of the scurrying humans and Nopon. On its way it swooped out above a small Titan with a single small structure on its back and a crane attached to it. Recognizing the Titan, Danfort watched them for a few moments and then flapped up and away. Best not to antagonize the little Titan. It was very protective of the human it carried on its back. 

Far below the passing Taos, Rex floated lazily upon the Cloud Sea, the waters lightly bobbing him this way and that. As a practiced swimmer Rex kept his position fairly constant without having to think about it too much. He watched the blue avian monster fly away in the same direction he and Gramps were going. Rex let himself sink slightly under the water, flipped himself so he was facing the other way, and then returned to the surface so he could swim over to the front of Gramps’ body. 

“Oi Gramps! Was that Leering Danfort again you think?” Gramps twisted his long neck around to the left so he could stare down at Rex, the grassy mane along his spine fluttering in the wind. 

In his deep rumbling voice Rex’s odd adoptive grandfather said, “I suspect it is. He did seem to be giving us an eye as he passed.”

Rex nodded, letting his legs kick steadily underwater to keep his body upright. “Think he’ll still be at Argentum when we get there?”

Gramps cocked his head to the side for a few seconds as if in thought. “Perhaps. Perhaps not. That one is unpredictable. For a Taos anyway.”

There was silence for several seconds, save the lapping of water and the faint breeze in the air. Finally Rex broke the quiet. “Do you want to push on to Argentum today or take it easy? We can make it by nightfall if we keep it up, but well, you’re probably too old to handle that. Right, Gramps?”

The ancient Titan recognized the teasing tone in the boy’s voice. “When you say it like that it certainly sounds like you’re wanting me to strain these old bones of mine. And here I am, providing you free room and board atop my back.”

Rex grinned and swam closer to Gramps’ back, then grabbed hold of the rocky hide and expertly clambered his way up until he was standing at the base of the neck. Just past his little hut. “There you go, acting like an old timer who can’t push a Taos around. We can be lazy if you like, but what kind of example are you setting for me if we are?”

Gramps barked a deep laugh that shifted to a throaty chuckle. “Or am I setting a worse example if I let a child push me around?”

Without looking back Rex clambered over the metal roof of his little shack and hopped down onto Gramps’ back on the other side. He ruffled his messy brown hair to get some of the water out, making it messier in the process. His blue salvaging outfit clung to his skin and would dry out easily on its own. That was part of what it was made for after all. He pulled open the storage unit to check his salvage and then shut the top of the unit before finally responding. “Everyone’s a kid to you. So, let’s get going. If I get a good haul I’ll buy you something tasty!”

“I see you’ve decided without me.” The Titan let out a beleaguered sigh. “The things I put up with. Well I’ll hold you to that.” He shifted his wings under the water, slowly propelling himself forward. His pace was leisurely, but he was never particularly fast when swimming. Underwater was easier, in the sky was easiest. Although at his age any strenuous flying left his bones and muscles creaking. 

They settled into their journey peacefully and quietly. The Titan letting his thoughts drift and the human settling down with one of the few books he owned open in his lap. Occasionally they would talk, but mostly it was the easy quiet of two people who were comfortable around each other. As much as the elderly Titan acted put upon, he truly did enjoy his time taking care of Rex. The boy had a wonderful positive energy about him that had always reminded Azurda of another child centuries before. 

A few hours in Rex looked up from his book and broke the recent silence. “Say Gramps, do you think that stray Titan we found will last much longer?”

Azurda considered his response for a moment. About a week earlier they had stumbled upon a wandering Titan, just large enough to support a small population of tiny animals and insects as well as a handful of trees, but not big enough to hold people. It had looked weak and discolored. Ancient even in comparison to Azurda himself. Another Titan reaching the end of its lifespan. “It’s difficult to say. Months at least. Years, perhaps. Decades, doubtful. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely that it will be alive by the time you reach your majority.”

There was an unspoken question in the air. One that Rex never asked, but Azurda could always feel hovering when they saw a dying Titan. On more than one occasion they had seen the final death throes of one as it passed. How long would Azurda himself last? Even the Titan himself didn’t know the answer. Centuries more he suspected, but it was hard to say.

Instead of asking the hard question, Rex asked, “Do you think the Leftherian Titans will die out someday too?”

“Yes, I imagine so. Even the continent-sized Titans have a limited lifespan. Although compared to them I'm just a child. Eventually...well you understand.” Azurda tilted his neck so he could look back at Rex. The boy had leaned back, palms behind himself for support and was staring up. No, not quite up. Up and out. Azurda didn’t have to check to know where the boy’s gaze lingered. The towering World Tree.

“Do you think it’s up there? Elysium I mean.” There was a tinge of sadness to the boy’s words. 

“Yes, I’m quite certain of it.” There was a lapse in conversation again. Azurda felt that Rex wanted to say more, but likely hadn’t been able to sort out his thoughts. For such an energetic child Rex could be awfully pensieve at times. Perhaps that came from spending so much time with someone as old as Azurda himself. Or perhaps it was natural.

Just as the sun was starting to drift and the moon rise, bringing darkness with it, the two of them arrived at their destination. A massive multi-story structure floating on the water, attached by thick cables to a bulky slow moving Titan that hovered effortlessly. Haven of greed, commerce, and the largest Nopon trade guild in Alrest. The Argentum Trade Guild. Far up above, on the Titan Goldmouth’s back, rested the large Taos from earlier in the day. 

Azurda pulled up to the dock and Rex slid down from his back onto the dockside. Unlike a boat Rex had no need to tether the elderly Titan in place. Even in the fading light Azurda could make out a handful of other Titans of the Argentum Mercantile Nation floating out in the distance. The rest were much smaller than Goldmouth, but though they were scattered they were skill acknowledged as a nation. Of sorts. The other ten Nopon Trade Guilds weren’t considered as such by the other nations of Alrest. 

Rex waved to Hirkham, the blonde Ardainian manning Goldmouth Return Port. Looking half asleep on his feet the man wandered over and accepted the docking fee from Rex. Rex exchanged pleasantries and then headed on in so he could stop by the Central Exchange. When he stepped up to the Central Exchange there was Melolo waiting as usual. The orange Nopon looked up from her ledgers, adjusted her pink hat, and smiled broadly at Rex. “Is Rex! Come in late with a big haul maybe?”

“You bet! Gramps is waiting with the goods as usual.” She hopped up and down in place, then waved one of her wings towards her employees. Recognizing Rex and knowing the procedure they headed out to the port to collect his salvage. Over a period of close to an hour the men sorted everything so that Melolo could inspect it and then they haggled for a bit over price. Finally they reached a sum both weren’t completely satisfied with, the sure sign of a fair deal, and gold exchanged hands.

Melolo held a sack with a larger portion of gold in between her wings. “Rex want to send same percentage home as normal?”

“Absolutely. What’s left here is more than enough.” He paused and considered for a second. “On second thought, I’ll keep an extra two hundred gold. I promised Gramps something tasty for making it here tonight.” Melolo counted out the money and passed it to him, which he happily tucked into his bag. 

“Thanks Melolo!” He turned to go, but stopped when Melolo made a “hem-hem” type sound. Rex recognized it as her way of getting his attention. Not terribly subtle, but it did the job.

When he turned back Melolo was leaning over the counter and raised one wing to partially cover her mouth. “Since Rex such good littlepon, better than Melolo’s own littlepon who never once send money home, Melolo give Rex good tip. Fancy Gormotti type staying at Lemour Inn looking to hire salvager for job. Rex fit job perfectly. He should go see. Make good money and send more home to family.”

“Yeah?”, he said excitedly. “You don’t happen to know what kind of job, do you?” She shook her head. “Well that’s okay. After I get Gramps that meal I’ll check it out. I appreciate the tip!”

He jogged off, his boots clanking against the metal floor as he made his way across the bazaar. Up the stairs he went until he reached the Rumbletum Canteen. A quick conversation set Rumtumtum, the small green Nopon who operated the shop, to cooking up some spiced Argentum Monkfish that one of his waiters would deliver to the Return Port so Gramps could enjoy something a little better than the uncooked fish he usually caught himself.

With that taken care of he made his way over to the check-in at Lemour Inn. There he inquired about the Gormotti that Melolo had mentioned. The clerk pointed him in the direction of a back room where apparently the prospective employer was taking interviews. Taking a deep breath he knocked on the door. A smooth baritone voice responded from inside. “Come in.”

Rex opened the door and stepped inside. A slender Gormotti man with black hair, tinged grey around his cat-like ears, sat at the table. Fitting Melolo’s description he wore a nice red coat with gold thread running in an intricate pattern down the sleeves. A few bejeweled rings were on his fingers and he had a lofty expression on his face. Rex had seen that type of face before. The type who expected things to go his way and was shocked if it didn’t. 

The Gormotti man gestured to the seat across from him. “Have a seat.”

Feeling a little uncomfortable with the man’s stare, Rex settled himself into the chair a little more softly than he might normally have. “So I heard you were looking for a salvager. Someone told me I might be a good fit for your job.”

A single flick of the eyes took Rex in from head to toe. The fancy fellow smiled confidently. “By appearance, yes. I had heard Argentum had a young salvager in their employ, but I suppose I hadn’t realized how young.”

Rex wasn’t sure if he should feel offended by that, but he was used to people being surprised by his age. And his height sadly. “Rex, Class C Salvager’s License, Partial-Contract with the Argentum Trade Guild. I’ve got the qualifications.” 

The Gormotti quirked an eyebrow. “Class C? That means you’ve had your license for at least three years. That’s quite a while for someone so young.”

Rex grinned at the man and puffed out his chest. “Got my Class E four years ago when I was eleven. Youngest licensed salvager in guild history.”

Those fluffy ears twitched atop the man’s head. Rex could see a smile playing at the corner of the man’s lips. “Well, you’ve got the license and you’ve got two of the major qualities I’m looking for right now. If you agree to the terms I see no reason you won’t work perfectly.”

“What qualities?” Melolo had implied something of the sort. 

“First”, the man held up a single finger, “you’re the right size. I need someone small to fit into a tight space. Second,” up came the next finger, “you’re not a Nopon. I was willing to hire one if I had to, but it wasn’t my preference.” 

Rex blinked in surprise. “Why not a Nopon? I’ll take a good job when I can get one, but if you’re looking for someone small I’m surprised you didn’t jump straight for a Nopon salvager. There’s some good ones here in Argentum too.”

The idea was waved away by a dismissive gesture of the hand. “As I said, I’ll hire one when I have to, but it’s not ideal. I’ve never really trusted their cutesy talk. It always makes me think they’re hiding something. Or laughing behind my back.”

He leaned forward a little, looking Rex up and down again. “The accent isn’t quite right, but could you perhaps be Tantalese? By your eyes I wouldn’t guess you’re Ardainian. I can’t quite seem to place you.”

“I grew up in Fonsett Village in Leftheria actually.” Rex paused in thought for a moment. “I’d ask where you’re from, but I guess the ears give it away. Although I don’t know your name.”

“Caldridge. Lord Caldridge.” Rex felt his money sense tingling. A member of the noble houses of Gormott. They didn’t have the same wealth they supposedly had before they were conquered by Mor Ardain, but supposedly they were still rich enough to make most wealthy merchants blush. 

“Well Lord Caldridge, if you think I meet the qualifications I’m excited to hear more about the job. You said something about a small space?” Strike while the iron is hot. Rex was pretty sure he had the job on lock, but it was best to keep the ball rolling.

Caldridge leaned back in his chair, seeming to grow more relaxed as he spoke. “A Salvager who does contract work for me recently managed to locate the remains of a former Gormotti Lord. The man lost his position, and apparently his life, a little more than a decade ago. None of us knew his whereabouts, but it seems he drowned. His remains are pinned beneath some rubble not too far off part of Melnath’s usual travel route.”

It took Rex a moment to realize Caldridge was talking about the Gormotti Titan. It was rare to hear someone mention the names of the Titans themselves. “So...I’m guessing there’s a reason you don’t just try to move the rubble.”

“Correct.” Caldridge reached out and began to idly tap his fingers on the tabletop. “What I’m after is a signet ring that represents this former Lord’s house. Each of the rings is unique and would normally have been returned to the Noble Houses upon the Lord’s death. If the rubble shifts incorrectly the ring could be damaged or destroyed. But my contract salvager was able to confirm an approximate size for an opening into the rubble.”

The picture was getting clearer. “So you need a small salvager who can worm their way in, get the ring, and get out without anything getting damaged.”

“Exactly. This ring holds distinct value to those of the Noble Houses. As such I’m offering what I believe to be an excellent contract. Twenty thousand gold. In addition, if there’s any stray salvage it’s yours to claim. The Lord was destitute and in disgrace in his final days so I wouldn’t expect much, hence the gold payment. If the ring is damaged in the process or was already damaged when you recover it I will still provide pay of ten thousand gold.” The Lord’s face had gone completely neutral. 

Rex struggled to hold his excitement. As much as twenty thousand gold just for recovering a ring? Even if it turned out to be damaged that ten thousand gold was still a great reward for a single job that wouldn’t take tons of time or resources. “Sounds great to me. When do you want to leave?” Damn, he had let his excitement get to him!

Caldridge’s neutral expression split into a wide grin as he laughed. “I like your energy! If you’re able I’d like to leave first thing in the morning. I’ve prepared a vessel to take us to our destination. It would take about a day to reach the salvage point. Do the job right and, well, I’m always on the lookout for salvagers for direct contract work. I prefer to work with salvagers directly rather than through the Nopon Trade Guilds if I can.”

That made sense with Caldridge’s apparent distaste for the way Nopons talked. Seemed odd to Rex, but who was he to judge someone offering him twenty thousand gold? “Sounds like a deal to me. You won’t be disappointed! I’ll make my preparations and meet you tomorrow. Where at?”

“Goldmouth Exit Dock at, say, seven in the morning.” Rex nodded and thrust his hand out. Caldridge seemed amused, but accepted Rex’s enthusiastic handshake. 

“See you then!” Rex took off like a shot, racing excitedly out the door so he could tell Gramps. Once that was done he would make sure he had a fresh stock of cylinders and rations. On the morrow it would be time to go to work.

\-----------------

First light found Rex awake and washing himself off with the last of the filtered rain water and powdered soap. Once he was nice and clean he pulled on his salvaging clothes, clipped the helmet onto the back, grabbed his pack of gear, and after a moment’s indecision snagged his junk sword. He attached the sword to the back of his belt and pulled his pack over his shoulders. 

As quietly as he could he slipped off Gramps’ back and onto the deck. The old Titan was still sleeping. The plan was for Rex to to hitch a ride back to Argentum from a ship in Torigoth using the free ticket spot for salvagers. Gramps had decided to drift away from the Return Dock so he could “stretch his wings”. Rex was pretty sure that Gramps just wanted to save them the docking fees, which was appreciated. 

Even at this early hour Argentum was busy. Not all of the businesses in the bazaar were open, but there was always a constant shuffle of bodies through the guild. Traders, salvagers, mercenaries, and even soldiers passed through on a regular basis. In five years of frequenting the guild Rex wasn’t sure he had ever seen it completely silent. Rex even caught a glimpse of what looked like a Blade in metallic black and gold armor arguing with a band of mercenaries. From this distance he couldn’t tell who the Driver might be. 

Rex never had the opportunity to talk to many Blades or Drivers. He saw them coming in and out of Argentum, but they always seemed so aloof and unapproachable. Feeling curious he paused to get a better look. The Blade had some big gauntlets hooked at its waist that looked to have extendable claws. What sort of weapon was that? 

Before he had much longer to consider one of the mercenaries noticed him and glared. Rex sighed and moved on. He still had a bit longer before he was meeting Caldridge, but it didn’t seem likely this band of mercenaries would be keen to have him pop over and say hi. Drivers were cool, but would it hurt them to be a little nicer?

To kill a little more time he grabbed a Fizzy Juice from one of the shops and sipped at it leisurely. It wasn’t his favorite, but it was cheap, sweet, and stuffed full of caffeine. Most people thought of it as a kiddy drink, but it was cheaper than a cup of coffee and had almost as much caffeine. 

When he wandered out to the Exit Dock he saw Caldridge waiting on the bow of a rustic Titan ship. It was one of the types with a wide face and bulging eyes, with a flat structure built onto its back to make up most of the vessel. Sailors shifted around on deck, moving boxes into their storage area. Rex approached the ramp and nodded to the chubby Urayan who stood at the base.

The sailor scratched at the scales on his cheek and gave Rex the once over. “You must be the salvager the rich guy said we were waiting on. Must not be as rich as he looks if he stooped to hiring a little kid.”

Rex rolled his eyes and went straight up the ramp, calling backwards as he went. “I hope you enjoy ferrying around a kid who does real work for a living.”

He probably shouldn’t have sniped back, but it was early. The people in Argentum generally took his work ethic seriously since they were used to him, but it was still grating to be disregarded because of his age. Thanks to his short stature he was often mistaken as younger than he actually was, which didn’t help.

Mostly the sailors ignored him, but Caldridge watched Rex the whole time. Rex approached and offered a quick greeting. “Morning!”

The Gormotti man’s ears flicked in a way that had to be expressing some sort of emotion, but Rex had never been good at reading Gormotti. “You’re early. I wouldn’t have guessed it from a Leftherian. Good show.”

 _‘What does that mean?’_ , Rex thought. 

Caldridge glanced down towards Rex’s waist and gestured with one hand. “Why the sword? Are you expecting to sword fight something underwater?”

Rex shook his head, putting his right hand down on the hilt in what he hoped was a confident manner. “Nah, but monsters sometimes follow salvagers back up. Plus there’s no telling what to expect when you’re out on the open sea. Never hurts to be prepared.”

“Really? Have you had much cause to use that?” Caldridge’s tone was overflowing with skepticism. Not surprising, but it was annoying. Gramps had been teaching him how to use a sword since he was a little kid. 

“Here and there. Mostly against monsters, but I’ve had mercenaries and bandits try to pick fights with me on a few occasions. When you look like I do people tend to assume you’re easy prey.” That seemed to make Caldridge understand. 

“Well I certainly hope there’s no reason for any violence on this trip. I’d much rather this go smoothly. This job is important to me.” The Gormotti seemed more standoffish than he had the night before. Not a morning person or was he dropping some niceties now that the hiring process was finished?

It wasn’t long before their ship set off. A slow moving journey where the sailors kept to themselves, mostly ignoring Caldridge and Rex. For that matter, the Gormotti left Rex to his own devices. A couple of brawny Gormotti that Rex had originally pegged for part of the crew turned out to be Caldridge’s bodyguards. Not a soul on the ship seemed interested in engaging in conversation with Rex, not even when he offered to join a game of dice. 

As a result Rex spent the bulk of the day split between relaxing and some casual practice with his sword. Just before night fell the ship came to a halt a few hundred Titanpeds away from the Gormotti Titan itself. The Captain and Caldridge were talking so it was likely this was their destination. Rex gazed up at the massive continent Titan with its thick rocky neck and enormous head. The sheer difference and scale between a beast like that and Gramps was obvious even from this distance. Even Goldmouth seemed like a buzzing insect next to this thing. 

“We’re here.” Rex looked over his shoulder to where Caldridge stood. He approached the lord and the next part of the discussion began. Caldridge provided the information his previous salvager had collected. Data on depth, currents, ping location, and more. The other salvager had been thorough. Made Rex’s job easier. 

With Caldridge’s assistance Rex was able to commandeer the transport’s own depth finder and sonar equipment so he could match data up with what they already had. Rex took a little time to double check the math before suiting up in full salvaging gear, helmet closed and cylinder attached. He had to go light on gear to make sure he would fit where he needed to. Reluctantly he left his junk sword and other equipment onboard in the care of Caldridge’s guards.

Once that was all settled he approached the edge of the ship and leaped off, flipping in mid-air and diving smoothly into the water. Probably a little more flair than was necessary, but sometimes it was fun to show off. Fully submerged he switched the light of his helmet lamp on and began to swim down. Occasionally he would check the sonar information broadcast from the ship using the receiver portion on his left wrist. The handy wrist gauntlet, usually called an anchor shot, had cost him a pretty penny, but it had plenty of useful features. 

Down he went, moving with the current as efficiently as he could. This area wasn’t especially deep and came to the bottom at just past a hundred Peds. Shining his light around he soon found a jumble of rock and metal debris that matched Caldridge’s description. Rex swam his way over and descended, extending the spikes on his boots to steady his footing.

Slowly fighting the current he walked around the mess of ocean swept rubble until he spotted the small entrance. Sure enough there were a few other scattered items in the area that hadn’t been swept away. Probably property of the former lord. Most looked rotted or destroyed, but one crate off to the side looked pretty well intact. Rex quickly reinforced the sides with adhesive and attached an inflation balloon to it, but didn’t trigger it yet. Best to time that with his trip back to the surface. 

Rex lowered himself down to the sandy seabed and half-shuffled half-swam to the rubble entrance. With his light shining in he could see a bright returning glow coming from within. There was another light in there? _‘What kind of power source would you need for a waterproof lamp to keep going for more than a decade?’_

As cautiously as he could Rex made his way into the opening in the rubble. It was a tight fit, not giving him more than a handful of centimeters on each side to maneuver. He would have to back himself out when the time came. There would be no turning around. It felt uncomfortably claustrophobic. A little further in and he found what he was looking for as well the source of the light.

At the back end of the rubble was the upper half of a skeleton, the bottom portion trapped beneath the debris. One of the skeleton’s arms was also stuck, but the other was stretched out towards the light. There on one of its thankfully intact fingers was a black ring. With any luck that was the signet ring. 

Rex approached and looked everything over. The skeleton’s hand was bobbing back and forth in the water and he could almost picture an older Gormotti lord reaching out desperately for rescue as the air faded from his lungs. A nasty way to go. The light that the man had been reaching out for though...Rex gulped as he reached it and hovered just above it. Now that it was centimeters away from the glass of his helmet he was sure about what he was looking at. An active Core Crystal. 

Tearing his gaze away from the crystal’s glow was hard, but he had a job to do. He shifted his way a little further forward until he was close enough to get a better look. A sigh of relief left his lips when he saw that the ring on the skeleton’s finger matched Caldridge’s picture of the signet ring. It looked undamaged. 

Carefully Rex worked the ring off, trying not to damage the bones out of respect. He already felt a little like a graverobber. There wasn’t enough room to maneuver his arms, so he wouldn’t be able to put the ring in a safe spot. Instead he closed his fist around it and began to push himself backwards. When he was hovering over the Core Crystal again he hesitated for just a moment before grabbing that with his other hand. 

It took a few minutes, but he managed to worm his way backwards out of the stacked rubble. Rex took a moment to let his body relax from the tension of his formerly cramped situation and tucked the ring and Core Crystal into the waterproof cylinder shaped pouch attached to his belt. With those safely in hand he made his way over to the box from earlier and pressed the release for the inflation balloon. 

The white balloon popped out and filled itself with buoyant gases, slowly lifting the box up off the floor of the Cloud Sea. Rex pushed himself up and began to swim alongside his salvage. Their pace was sedate, but eventually they breached the surface. During his foray into the Cloud Sea night had properly fallen and it was mostly dark out, lit only by the lamps on the boat, his helmet’s light, and the stars in the sky.

Rex pressed the button to deflate the balloon, grabbed the harness, and swam with the box back towards the boat. One of the sailors helped him back onboard and Rex settled back onto the deck. A quick motion switched his helmet lamp off and he flipped his helmet back, letting himself breathe unfiltered air again. 

Caldridge was there almost immediately. “Well, did you find it?” 

Rex grinned proudly and planted his fists on his hips. “You better believe it!”

The Gormotti lord held a hand out expectantly. His face was pure eagerness. “Let’s have it then! I’ve got your pay ready.” One of the guards behind him jangled a bag.

Rex fetched out the ring and offered it up. Caldridge snatched it from Rex’s palm and inspected it. Whatever he saw in it caused his face to split into a massive smile. “Haha! Well done. Looks to be in perfect shape. Rothus, give the boy the bigger bag. He earned it.”

Caldridge stepped back to admire the ring and one of the two bodyguards, Rothus presumably, tossed Rex a hefty bag that clinked with the weight of gold inside. Rex took a peek inside and saw plenty that shimmered. Rex hooked the bag of gold to his waist and then unzipped his vest, letting it hang open like he usually wore it. “Oh yeah, I found a Core Crystal down there with your lost lord. Must have been trying to awaken it.”

The lord stopped looking at the ring and peered at Rex. “You did, did you? Not trying to awaken. The Lord of Echell was already a Driver. Most likely it was down there with him when he died. The Blade returns to its core when the Driver passes after all.”

A skeletal hand reaching out in desperation, hoping to be saved. That image flashed through Rex’s mind. “Oh. Did you know this Lord or his Blade?”

“Of course. In fact, his Blade passed through the hands of more than one Noble family over the years. I’d be more than willing to buy It from you. Not everyone has the potential to become a Driver after all and it’s dangerous to try.” There was something in Caldridge’s tone that rubbed Rex the wrong way. Especially the emphasis the Gormotti had put on the word ‘it’.

“You said ‘It’. But you knew the Blade, right? You knew them?” Rex struggled to keep the irritation from his voice. 

“It’s just a Blade. Sometimes they look like us, but don’t let that fool you. As someone who has spent a considerable amount of time around Blades I know they know their place. The Architect makes some servants and some masters. Best not to think of them as people. More like…”, Caldridge paused as if considering his words. “Like a weapon pretending to be a real person. That’s the best description for a Blade. Useful, but just a tool. Like that sword of yours, but smarter.”

A few things clicked for Rex. Caldridge’s disdain for Nopon speech. Caldridge asking where Rex was from. Those were less blatant, but weren’t they the same kind of attitude the man was displaying now? Bile rose in Rex’s throat and something buzzed and rumbled in the back of his head. Something red and angry. A part of him wanted to chuck the gold in the man’s face, but the truth was that he needed the money too much. The people back in Fonsett needed it. “That so?”

Caldridge smiled warmly. “Indeed. So, Rex, what do you say? Would you like me to buy that Core Crystal from you? You’ll get a much better price from me than you would trying to sell it yourself.”

Rex was faintly aware of the sailors eyes on them and the gaze of Caldridge’s bodyguards. Watching and waiting to see what happened next. “No,” Rex said slowly. “I think I’ll hang onto it. The rest of the salvage was mine, right?”

Caldridge’s smile faded. “That’s right. If that’s your choice, very well. I believe you’re making a mistake, but it’s your mistake to make. Well Rex, once the captain gets us to shore in Torigoth we will part ways. Excellent doing business with you.”

“Yeah.” Rex grabbed the box from where it sat on the deck and hauled it over to the rest of his equipment. He knew he was being rude to a potential future employer, but he lacked confidence that he would be able to hold his tongue if they kept talking any longer. 

Silence pervaded the ship all the way up until they were successfully moored at one of the docks on the lowest level of Torigoth, the capital city of Gormott. Rex and Caldridge parted ways. Caldridge off to his mansion to prepare for an early morning meeting with an ‘important client’ and Rex to get some sleep. One of the sailors directed him towards the center of town where he could find a place called Coedwig Inn.

Despite feeling mentally and physically drained, Rex couldn’t help but admire his surroundings. Torigoth was a massive city of sloping wooden buildings, homes built into deep walls, and long bridges that crossed an expanse of Cloud Sea that waited far below. It had multiple levels and terraces with people and shops at all different heights. 

From the docks he made his way up the stairs to the top level and crossed one of the bridges, heading towards the central hub of town. He had been told to look for a fountain. On his way across he admired the enormous rotating water wheels. There were also a few spots that looked like they would be good for diving if someone wanted to get in some salvaging time. 

Even at night the plaza with its bubbling fountain was bustling. People going in every direction, hawkers crying out their wares, and people buying and selling everywhere. Groups of Gormotti with their fuzzy ears chatting amicably as they wandered and even some Ardainian soldiers in their black armor relaxing by the fountain and sipping on drinks at the local cafe. 

Drawn by the smell Rex stopped by a butcher’s shop located at the start of what appeared to be a residential district and bought a meal the butcher called Mustard Kordeth. It was a savory meat sliced thin, wrapped in a pocket of bread, and dabbed liberally with a spicy mustard. He ate as he walked, enjoying looking around town. 

Finally the need to put down the burdens he was carrying was too strong and he made his way to the inn. A quick exchange of gold and the proprietor directed him to a room in the back. It was small, but cozy, with two narrow beds that were springy and pillows that were just the right degree of firm. Rex set his pack of equipment and his salvage down, detached his helmet, and took off his vest. 

Helmie, the blonde Gormotti woman who ran the inn, had pointed out the building’s baths on the way in. So Rex popped over, waited idly until one of the shower rooms was freed up, and took a quick shower to get clean and help his muscles unwind. Although the current hadn’t been exceptionally strong today, it still took a lot of effort to control your descent into the Cloud Sea and being cramped into that little tunnel of rubble hadn’t helped. 

After what seemed like too short a time Rex was back in his room, the outer portions of his salvaging gear nestled at the edge of the bed. He had slept in all of his gear many times, but it wasn’t especially comfortable. Though he managed to drift off to sleep his slumber was far from restful. Dreams and nightmares spun through his head all a jumble. 

\-----------------

He awoke with a jolt to see the rays of first light shining through the window past the curtains. Rex sat up and turned to perch on the side of the bed, feet dangling down to the floor. He picked up his storage pouch from the floor and took out the Core Crystal, twisting it in his hands while he pondered. This was the second Core Crystal he had held. A few years back he had found one while salvaging, but Gramps had insisted that Rex let the Titan handle it. _‘Come to think of it, what did Gramps even do with that crystal?’_

Caldridge’s face swam through his mind, looking smug and casual. 

_“I’ve never really trusted their cutesy talk. It always makes me think they’re hiding something. Or laughing behind my back.”_

_“You’re early. I wouldn’t have guessed it from a Leftherian. Good show.”_

_“The Architect makes some servants and some masters. Best not to think of them as people.”_

_“Like a weapon pretending to be a real person.”_

_“Useful, but just a tool.”_

Like in his dreams he saw a skeletal hand that reached out for a savior. A Core Crystal that gleamed brightly just out of reach. Rex’s own hand clenched tightly around that same crystal. The light seeped out around his fingers. An image formed in his mind of an elderly Gormotti man, trapped beneath debris, his hand scrabbling against the sand trying to grab the extended hand of a Blade. The Blade in his mind, one of those with the white armored bodies that you often saw, tried to pull his Driver to safety. The light faded from the Gormotti’s eyes and the Blade disappeared in a flash, returning to the Core Crystal. 

Those images kept playing through his mind even though he knew them to be an invention. Pieces he was putting together. Things he was guessing at and would never know. Over the images he kept hearing Caldridge’s words. _“Useful, but just a tool.”_

A bright blue pulsed from the Core Crystal and filled the room, flashing multiple times. A whooshing sound accompanied each burst of light. That glow became blinding and Rex threw up one hand in front of his eyes. 

When the light faded he no longer held a Core Crystal in his hand. His fingers gripped the golden hilt of a long slender blue blade with flowers growing out of it as if it were a living thing. 

Rex looked up from the sword, stunned to silence. In front of him stood a slim pretty girl, looking not much different in age from himself. White markings ran across her cheeks and framed a pair of amber eyes that seemed filled with curiosity. Long silver hair flowed down to her legs, split to each side in carefully done twintails tied with rope. Tall ears, much taller and more pointed than a Gormotti’s topped her head, each one decorated with some sort of white and red material. 

She wore a leotard of white, red, and gold with a rope tied around it, a small bell attached at the side. Her boots were topped with narrow spikes at the toe and met leggings that reached to the upper portion of her thighs. Long detached sleeves draped down from her arms, also in the same colors. Rex idly thought it made her resemble a flower. 

There upon her chest sat a glittering crystal, the same shade the Core Crystal had been. Rex’s mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out. A...Blade? Had he awakened a Blade?

The Blade smiled at him, exposing sharp canines. She raised a white gloved hand, her sleeves swishing with the motion. “Hi”, she said. “Name’s Nia. Guess that makes you my Driver?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There we go. Our first big change is out of the way. As I said before, expect more to come. I also plan on having short chapters interspersed every handful of chapters in. These will depict past lives or past events of Blades that appear in the story. I've got several planned, but if people end up liking them I wouldn't be against adding past stories of Blades that people are fans of.


	2. Reasons for Resonance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here we go with chapter two. I'm hoping that with this posting it'll fix the issue where showed the story as being 1/1 chapters. This chapter is also about the same length as chapter one, but I originally wrote it was two separate smaller chapters. I'm hoping people will let me know if they like that length or would prefer slightly shorter ones. I might experiment with both.

Rex stared slack jawed at the girl in front of him. The Blade in front of him. His Blade. He was a Driver. He blinked in surprise as she waved her hand in front of his face. “Hullo? You in there?”

“Huh? What? Oh, yeah. Yeah, I’m your Driver. Sorry I’m just a little surprised is all.” The girl, Nia she had said, nodded as if it made perfect sense. 

She took a step back and looked him up and down. “Surprised eh? So I guess that means I’m your first Blade. I get it. Plus I bet you’re shocked your first Blade is this awesome, right?” 

Nia grinned and made a dismissive gesture with one hand. “Well that’s that. You’re my Driver and I’m your Blade. Can’t say I expected to be Awakened and find my Driver is just a kid.”

Rex jerked his head up and stared right at her, his golden eyes meeting her amber ones. “Kid? You look just as much like a kid as I do! Anyway, I’ll have you know I work for a living.”

“Blades don’t have ages. And what’s having a job got to do with anything?” Rex opened his mouth to respond to her, but she seemed to have moved on from the conversation. Nia sauntered across the room, looking at everything with an air of curiosity. She paid the most attention to his salvaging gear and sword in the corner, poking at the pile of items with the tip of one of her boots.

Without looking up from his stuff she said, “Say, kid. What’s your name anyway?”

The thought hadn’t even crossed his mind that he hadn’t introduced himself. “Rex.”

“Ok, Rex. What’s all this stuff then? Odd clothes.” She reached down and daintily picked up the helmet, twisting it this way and that. She briefly acted like she was about to put it over her head, but when the inside of the helmet poked her ears she thought better of it and tossed it haphazardly onto the bed.

Rex glanced at the helmet and then back to her. Cautiously he set the sword, her sword he supposed, down onto the bed next to it. “I’m a salvager. I dive down into the Cloud Sea and, you know, salvage stuff. That’s my diving gear.”

One of her gloved hands closed around the hilt of his sword and she hefted it up. Walking back to the center of the small room she took a few idle swings with it. After the second she adjusted her grip, adding the second hand, and swung it a couple more times. “Under the Cloud Sea. I’m a water Blade and even I wouldn’t want to spend a bunch of time down there. You actually fight with this ramshackle thing?”

“Sometimes”, he said defensively. “I’m pretty decent. Gramps has been teaching me since I was kid. Anyway, the Cloud Sea is really cool if you give it a chance. There’s always a mystery to find down there. Open a chest, it might turn out great! Until then, it’s just a crate! Fourth rule of the Salvager’s Code.”

Her next swing stopped mid-way and she cocked her head at Rex, her eyes twinkling. Without warning she brought up a hand to her mouth as she burst out laughing. “That’s so cheesy!”

Rex stomped over, his bare feet padding across the wooden floor. He held out his hand and she continued chuckling even as she handed his sword back to him. Caldridge’s words ran through his head again. Barely holding back a grimace Rex paused, took a deep breath, ran a hand through his already messy hair, and began to speak. “Look, Nia, I don’t know how this is normally supposed to work. I only know a little bit about Drivers and Blades, but…”

He set the sword back down with the rest of his equipment and fished out the bag of gold he had earned on the job. “I don’t have a ton of money, but I think I’ve got enough to get you started. If you know what you want to do I might even be able to help you find a job. I work with the biggest trade guild on Alrest so someone there could probably help you get work.”

Nia had been fidgeting idly, but she stopped dead. Her eyes narrowed and she sauntered towards him, only stopping when she was inches away. Rex gulped, his face going flush. Her face was so close. That wasn’t a happy expression though. Mad? Annoyed? “What are you going on about?”

Rex bit his lip and looked around, feeling like he needed to escape. The back of his legs were up against the bed and there was no clear route away that didn’t involve pushing her out of the way. That wasn’t an option. “Well, you know. So you can go out into the world and make a living. Right?”

“So, what? You bring someone into the world and then just push them out? A Blade without their Driver...you really don’t know anything, do you?” Nia sighed and stepped to the side and sat down on the edge of the bed. She patted the space beside her. Cautiously Rex took a seat.

Nia put her hands behind herself and leaned back so she could stare at the ceiling. “Sorry, I’ll try to cut you some slack since you’re new to this. Blades can live off on their own, it’s true. The truth is that if a Blade isn’t with their Driver there’s a sense of emptiness. We’re supposed to work together. Be partners.”

“Like...a family?” Rex thought of Auntie Corinne back in Fonsett as well as the other orphans. The ones still there like Kazuna, Kirk, and Mark. There had been others who had moved on. 

The Blade shrugged, still staring up at the ceiling. “Dunno. I know a lot right after Awakening, but Blades don’t remember their previous lives. I don’t really know what a family is like. Not like Blades have siblings or parents.”

“Family is something you can choose. If you care enough about someone and you support each other, then they’re your family.” Rex tried to put as much energy and cheerfulness into his words as he could. 

“That so? Well, it doesn’t matter. The point is, a Driver and Blade are meant to be side by side.” While still leaning back she turned her head and looked at him, her eyes glimmering with some inscrutable emotion. 

Rex picked up his feet and twisted his position in the bed so that he was sitting cross-legged and facing Nia. “Alright. I’m sorry Nia, I didn’t know. I just…”, he hesitated, trying to form the proper words. “I didn’t want you to feel like you were being forced to do anything.”

“Well I appreciate that I suppose. Awakening a Blade is dangerous if you don’t have the aptitude, so what were you doing trying to awaken one if you never had any intention of working side by side with a Blade?” Rex could hear the blend of curiosity and irritation in her voice. This wasn’t going as well as it might.

The bag of gold in his hands clinked heavily. His gaze drifted down to it. Each piece of gold in that sack seemed to weigh far more than it should. Like it was dragging him down just holding it. “I just…”

He shook his head to try to clear it of stray thoughts. “You don’t remember your past life and I don’t know anything about it, not really. But there were some things that I saw and a few things that this jerk said...some bad things about Blades and…”

Ugh. It was all coming out wrong. What was he even trying to say? Why had he resonated with the Core Crystal. Had he even done it on purpose? “I just…”

“Well?” Nia’s voice was tinged with impatience.

Rex snapped his head up and looked her right in the eye. “I just thought that the person in that Core Crystal….that you...deserved to be alive.”

Nia’s mouth opened slightly and a faint blush briefly crossed her cheeks before she returned her expression to a neutral one. “That so?”

“Yeah. Does that make sense?”

She pulled her hands up from where they were supporting her, letting herself fall backwards onto the bed. There was silence for what seemed an eternity until, “You might just make a good Driver after all Rex.”

\---------------------

Lord Caldridge had prepared himself for this meeting thoroughly. He had guards in the waiting room and a few more armed with rifles in a hidden side room. More importantly he had haired a pair of mercenaries from Uraya, both Drivers, to wait in a panic room that was tucked away beneath the floor. His clients paid well, but they gave off an air of menace. It was best to be prepared.

Right on schedule his secretary sent the message that his guests had arrived. Lord Caldridge told the guards to let the men in and wait outside. A few moments later one of the guards opened the door to let in his clients. 

Both men that walked in radiated danger. They had from the moment Lord Caldridge had first met them three years prior. One of the two, the tall muscular man with the dark hair, was a Driver, but today he was without his Blade. At Lord Caldridge’s request. The second man, clad in white and grey armor and wearing a mask with small horns on it had never shown off a Blade, but Lord Caldridge was convinced he was equally deadly. 

The silver haired man typically wore a curved blade on his back, but there were no signs of it today. Good, they were both unarmed. Even with that precaution Lord Caldridge couldn’t help feeling like he was still in danger. “Welcome gentlemen! Please, have a seat.”

The dark haired man sneered at him and responded in that deep voice that seemed to make Lord Caldridge’s skin crawl with each word. “I think I’ll stand. This won’t take long, will it?”

The other man glanced briefly at his companion, but also remained standing. Lord Caldridge didn’t know their names. They had kept it that way deliberately. The white armored man looked pointedly down at the floor and then flicked his gaze directly at the hidden door. “No. Not long at all.”

A chill ran up Lord Caldridge’s spine. They couldn’t possibly know about his other guards. Everything about these men was strange to him. He couldn’t place their accents or appearances, his best efforts to dig up information on their origins or source of money had dug up nothing. The only thing Lord Caldridge had gained from his investigative efforts was the death of two of his best spies. Of course he couldn’t say for sure it had been these two, but even so…

“Well, gentlemen. As I said in my encoded message I have news for you. Good and bad I’m afraid.” 

Mr. Dark Hair rolled his eyes. “Out with it already. Don’t waste our time.”

Only his experience dealing with Gormotti politics and having to hold his tongue around the Ardainian scum that had conquered his homeland allowed him to keep his face expressionless. Consul Dughall was nearly as difficult to deal with as these men, but the difference was that Dughall was an idiot. These two always seemed to know more than they let on. “One of the salvagers who does contract work for me uncovered an object matching the description you provided.”

The barest momentary look was exchanged between his two clients. Lord Caldridge had been hoping for more of a reaction. Mr. Silver Hair was the first to speak, every word seeming to lower the ambient temperature. “They can confirm its location?”

“That’s right. I had my team thoroughly run the numbers before reaching out to you. If it wasn’t for the shifting of some debris in part of the uncharted area they’d never have found it. That’s the good news.” Lord Caldridge shivered. He would still get paid, but he was worried what their reaction would be to the rest of his information. It wasn’t strictly bad, but any bad news given to men like these…

“The bad news is that it can’t be salvaged. Not yet anyway.” Neither man moved, but it felt like all of a sudden Mr. Dark Hair was looming over him.

“Not yet?”, growled Mr. Dark Hair. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Like I said, they did the math thoroughly. With the currents as they are there would be no way to lift something that large from the seabed without breaking it into pieces and scattering its contents. You said you wanted it intact.” He hated that his voice squeaked a little at the end. 

“How soon?”, asked Mr. Silver Hair. Lord Caldridge had never heard the man change pitch or display any obvious emotion. That didn’t make him any less terrifying.

“By my team’s calculations, about four months. Right around the beginning of Amalthatober. I’m also not sure my team is equipped to haul it up.” Which was unfortunate. A finder’s fee was excellent, but by the reports he had been given the vessel hidden beneath the Cloud Sea was ancient, but appeared technologically advanced. It was likely worth several fortunes. 

“Four months. Well I’ve waited all these years, what are four more months?” Mr. Dark Hair chuckled. There was genuine mirth to it, but Lord Caldridge still hated the sound.

Mr. Silver Hair, always calm and collected, followed up on Caldridge’s words more directly. “We would prefer a small elite team. We also require at least one Leftherian. Preferably the entire crew would be Leftherian.”

What was this? That was the first they had mentioned it. “If you need salvagers, given your...circumstances, I could introduce you to Chairman Bana of the Argentum Trade Guild. He has a salvaging ship and plenty of salvagers at his disposal. He can also be quite discrete. I also happen to know he has at least one Leftherian in his employ.” 

Mr. Dark Hair sneered again. “No need. We know that stingy bastard. You did good work Caldridge. We’ll arrange delivery of your payment in the usual way.”

“Of course.” Both of the men turned and sauntered out of the room. As soon as they were gone Lord Caldridge let out a huge exhalation. It was like a massive weight had been lifted off his shoulders. 

Four months. Perhaps in four months he would no longer have to deal with them. That would be ideal, especially if they were who he suspected. 

\---------------------------

Rex and Nia sat outside, enjoying a pleasant breeze as they looked over the menu at a little cafe near the inn’s entrance. The proprietor had been very confused when Rex came out of his room with a Blade in tow, but had said nothing. On the other hand they did seem to be getting a number of looks. ‘I guess I should get used to that. I’m a Driver now. Me, a Driver!’

“Oooh, that sounds delish. What do you think Rex, crab puffs? That counts as breakfast food, right?” The eagerness in her eyes was almost comical. Rex grinned back at her.

“Anything is breakfast if you eat at the right time, that’s what I say. Ninth rule of the Salvager’s Code. You can’t fix an empty wallet on an empty belly.”

“Uh-huh”, she said skeptically. “Sounds like you approve. Well that’s great for me. I love stuff like this. Seafood, fluffy textures, it’s all wonderful. So crab puffs for breakfast it is.” Nia gestured emphatically for the waiter to come over.

Nia proceeded to order the crab puffs and a honeytea. Rex settled on some dumplings and water. When the waiter left there was a lapse in conversation. Rex tapped a finger against his chin as a thought crossed his mind. “Hang on, how do you know you like that kind of thing? It's not even been an hour since you Awakened.”

“What? Oh, that. Blade’s know all kindsa stuff right after Awakening. Not just their names and how to use their powers, other stuff too.” 

Rex leaned in, getting curious. “Like what?”

“Hmm...well there’s the obvious stuff like how to walk, talk, basic maths...what else.” Rex found himself amused at watching her ears swivel every time there was louder conversation or sounds coming from nearby tables. Those tall ears were even more expressive than a Gormotti’s. 

“Oh! I could tell you the names of the major countries and all sorts of minor things about the world. I know that not every Blade wakes up knowing the same stuff. I know some of the things I like and dislike. Pretty sure I could quote an entire encyclopedia’s worth of information on different flowers and trees.” 

Well that sounded handy. If Rex had just popped out knowing all kinds of things he wouldn’t have had to worry about Gramps’ boring lectures. “That’s pretty convenient. I guess it would have been awful to wake up knowing nothing. So you know your favorite foods, do you know stuff like your favorite color?”

Nia leaned back precariously in her chair, balancing on just the back legs. “Couldn’t say I’ve got a favorite, but I am partial to yellow. Red and gold are pretty nice as well, though I guess gold is just a different yellow.”

“Hang on, you’ve got red and gold on your clothes, but no yellow. Not yellow yellow anyways. I guess those things aren’t connected?” As he watched, Nia reached down and fiddled with the long flowing sleeves of her outfit.

“Doesn’t work that way. I’ll always be in these clothes when Awakened. Although if I concentrate I can do this.” She closed her eyes for a moment and then the white parts of her outfit instantly shifted to a bright yellow color.

“Woah! That’s awesome! How’d you do that?” Rex leaned in and poked one of her sleeves. Nia batted his hand away and opened her eyes, the color returning to normal.

“It’s all about self-image and ether control. You know how you have a mental image of yourself even if you haven’t looked at a mirror in a while?” Rex nodded. “Well it’s like that. If I change how I look in my head and alter the flow of ether I can change all kinds of stuff. More of a pain than it’s worth though.”

“Why’s that?”

“Like it sounds. The moment I stop thinking of myself looking different I just change back to my original appearance. So if I wanted to permanently change my clothes I’d have to keep a constant image in my head until it became instinctual. Some things would probably be impossible to change though. Like my height for instance. There’s a tight limit as to how much I can alter my ether mass.”

Rex was beginning to get the same confusion he got when he had been forced to study advanced math for his salvager’s certification. “So if you wanted to get a haircut or something you’d have to get your haircut every day for months or something?”

“Basically. Although if I wore different clothes often enough I could eventually change outfits at the drop of a hat. It’s a pity you’re a newbie Driver or you’d be more impressed.” Rex noticed out of the corner of his eye that one of the other tables was shaking their head as they looked over. Probably thought Nia was being inappropriate leaning back like she was.

“Impressed? I mean, I’m definitely impressed. It’s pretty cool that you can do stuff like that. Seems like if I could do something like that I’d mess around with it just for fun.” He really only kept two outfits on hand. His salvaging clothes handled water as well as hot and cold temperatures, so it was sort of all purpose. The only other set he owned was an older red version that he kept as a backup. 

“Like I said, it takes fine ether control. I don’t have a ton of raw ether to throw around, but I’ve got really precise control of ether. Makes me an excellent healer. That’s why I said your first Blade was awesome. Healing Blades usually have better ether control than most, but I’m top notch even among healers. So, impressed?” 

Rex opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off when Nia slammed her chair back into a normal seated position. Their waiter had arrived with breakfast. Quickly they tucked in, Nia making happy sounds as she munched away. 

They made idle chatter while they ate, joking back and forth. Nia explained a few more random tidbits about Blades, clarifying exactly how a Blade’s life was tied to the Driver, that while they were resonating he would know the basics of how to fight with her weapon, but that it would take practice to gain expertise with it, and a few other things.

As they were nearing the end of their food, Rex brought up a topic he had been considering. “So I don’t really have a big place to live. It’s a little shack with shelves, storage, and a single bed. I live on the Cloud Sea and travel a lot. I’ve been thinking that if you’re going to be joining me I’ll have to work on expanding it. I’m pretty sure I can do the basics and build an extension so that there’s a second small bed. I can probably make a divider so we aren’t sharing a room. I just...well I feel a little bad that you won’t have much room to yourself.”

“Living on the Cloud Sea? Well I can’t say that’s the most comfortable thing, but it can’t be too bad. I guess you live on a boat? Or a Titan boat or something?” He nodded.

“Basically. I’ll need to stop by the docks at some point today and send a message back to Argentum. I was supposed to hitch a ride back there and meet up with Gramps, but I won’t be able to do the work I need to if I’m docked at Argentum. It’ll probably be best if I call him here so that I can do everything using the supplies available in Torigoth. Do you mind sharing the room at the inn until all that’s done?”

Nia shook her head. “Nah, they had two beds so it shouldn’t be a problem. You seem like an easy going enough guy. If you’re really worried about sharing a room with a girl I can just get undressed after I’m under the covers. It only takes a thought to do anyway. Or we could buy some night clothes for me somewhere local.”

Rex tried not to let his mind linger on the fact that she could just think her clothes away. “Uh, maybe the night clothes are the best option.”

Feeling cheeky she said, “Oh? Bit embarrassed are we?”

He scowled and looked down at his plate, spooning up the last dumpling and then loudly slurping the broth. No way was he going to dignify that with a response. “Anyway, once we’re done here we can go down to the docks, send a message to Gramps, and then maybe take a look around town. I can price check some of the supplies I’ll need and we can get you some extra clothes.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Being a Driver was turning out to be more work than he would have expected. Still. It was nice having someone else around to talk to. Rex knew that she wasn’t technically his age, but it still felt like having a friend of similar age. All the kids at the village had always been a few years older or younger than he was. At fifteen it didn’t matter as much, but at ten, when he had left Fonsett, it had seemed like a bigger age gap. It had been much worse since then with constantly being surrounded by people ten plus years his senior. 

All in all it looked like Nia would be pleasant company. He wasn’t sure what all the options were, but Drivers supposedly made good money too. If he could supplement his normal salvage work with things only a Driver could do he might be able to send way more money than usual back home. 

Rex got so lost in thought as they made their way to the docks that he nearly bumped right into someone walking by. Nia tugged on his sleeve just in time for Rex to step to the side. The other man, a tall stern faced fellow wearing a brown cloak with the hood pulled up, glared down at Rex with piercing gray eyes. “Watch it brat.”

Rex mumbled an apology and the man moved on, flanked by another tall figure in a brown hooded cloak. Guess you saw all types in a big city like Torigoth.

Even that didn’t put a damper on Rex’s mood. They continued on their way, enjoying the fresh air and the sights of the city. Life was changing for him. Everything seemed to be coming up Rex. Yep. Life was looking bright. 

\------------------

Daytime in Torigoth was nearly as busy as the Argentum Trade Guild. Truthfully there were more people moving through town than fit in Goldmouth, but only because Torigoth was much larger and more open. Rex saw people from all over. Plenty of Gormotti of course, but there were nearly as many Ardainians and Urayans going about their business. It almost seemed crazy to think that only ten years before Uraya had invaded in an attempt to take Gormott away from Mor Ardain. 

Nia and Rex meandered through the crowds, pausing here and there to look at the different wares in the numerous shops. They had nothing but time on their hands. With the pace that Gramps set it would take a handful of days for the old Titan to arrive in Torigoth. Rex estimated that it would only take a day or two to do the construction he needed to once Gramps arrived. None of it was especially complicated. 

As they walked Rex couldn’t help watching Nia’s excited reactions to the various little knick knacks she found. She seemed to find these little bear carvings especially appealing. Oddly she refused to buy one, saying that she wouldn’t get one unless it was perfect. For Rex’s part he was more interested in the shop selling all kinds of gorgeous pieces of art. There was a really cool painting of the World Tree that caught his eye. Sadly as usual it was look, but don’t buy. There wasn’t much space for stuff like that in his little shack on Gramps’ back.

They continued on their way toward their eventual goal of a shop that sold clothes. One of the locals had suggested a place and they were slowly making their way. No need to rush. Rex looked around, doing a little people watching. Torigoth really was an interesting place.

Here he saw a pair of Ardainian soldiers trying to act all slick as they flirted with a pretty Gormotti woman. Over there a burly Urayan with a sword strapped to his back was playing with a group of little kids. Across the street a Blade with a cape draped over his left shoulder seemed to be haggling with a shopkeeper over the price of what looked like some kind of range sensor. In fact, Rex had seen a few other Blades as they wandered. Not that many, but a handful. The one with the cape was the first he had seen who wasn’t the type Nia called “common” Blades. 

She hadn’t been really clear why only some Blades had distinct appearances. Her answer had been a little vague and Rex suspected she didn’t actually know. He tripped and stumbled a little when he realized Nia had caught him watching her. Rex was expecting her to tease him, but instead she reached out a hand to steady him.

“Say Rex, I want to show you something. Most Blades only do this in a fight, but I think it’s more useful to show you while just going about our daily lives.” 

“Uh, sure. Go for it.” Nia raised an eyebrow at him and Rex could tell she was amused. Maybe a little expectant. Oddly he noticed that he felt lighter and filled with energy. His breakfast must be doing its work.

“I already did it. We’re in resonance now.” Rex looked around, expecting to see something different. 

“Wait, really? I didn’t see you do anything.” They both sidestepped to make their way through a gaggle of travelers. The two of them moved almost perfectly in sync as part of the motion. 

“There’s not really anything to see. I can establish an affinity link with you at any time between the two of us. That’s part of how Driver and Blade operate. Through the link we feel a little bit of the same things, but more importantly as long as we’re close enough together there’s a feedback loop of ether that makes you stronger and faster. Plus it helps me replenish my ether reserves faster.” 

Rex paused in mid-step, but Nia tugged at his sleeve to keep him moving. “The more natural we get it to feel the stronger the link gets”, she said. “Eventually you’ll learn to see the link. It’s not actually there, but it’s like seeing with your mind’s eye or something like that. Nobody else can see it and neither of us can touch it. You just sort of...know.”

“That’s pretty cool. I’d always wondered how Driver and Blade fought together. Drivers aren’t usually very forthcoming.” Rex let his mind drift, reaching out to feel the sensation of connection between them. The more he let himself relax the more he could detect the energy that trickled into him. For a moment he could almost see a faint blue line connecting them, but he lost sight of it almost immediately.

“You had it for a second there. Just let it happen naturally as we walk, okay? Think of it like sword training, but you don’t really have to do anything.” Rex tried to do just that. Relax and focus without focusing. Kinda. Even when he couldn’t feel it there was something pleasant about the sensation. Like he was more at ease on top of feeling energized. 

Eventually they made their way to the clothing store. It wasn’t very big, but there did seem to be a wide selection of sizes and styles. There was also a little sign advertising custom adjustments. Rex idly picked through a stack of men’s clothes with no intention of buying anything. Meanwhile Nia went over to the women’s area to find what she was looking for.

“Sorry sorry! Please excuse!” Rex looked to the side and made room so a large orange and white Nopon wearing overalls could sidle past him. That one was pretty big for a Nopon. Rex watched with curiosity as the Nopon made a beeline for the door, seemingly in a big hurry. 

_‘I wonder what that was all about?’_

Rex made his way over to the women’s section to see how Nia was doing. When he approached she looked up and gave him a little smile. She looked toward the door, then back to him and said, “Did you see that Nopon? He was digging through the women’s clothes and when he saw me he stared for a second and then just bolted.”

“Just for a second. You don’t think he was doing something weird...do you?” His gaze drifted towards the area that held some swimsuits and women’s undergarments. 

Nia shuddered. “No clue. I definitely don’t want to think about it either. Give me a minute and I think I’ll have what I need. We’ll probably need to get it adjusted though.”

About ten minutes later she had picked out a little yellow sundress and a set of pajama pants and top in blue. When she showed him the pajamas she declared, “We’ll match!”, and then headed off to the checkout counter. Rex sent her with the money she’d need. 

Nia spoke to the shopkeep and went to the back with a member of the staff, probably for measurements. A little while later she came back out and headed to meet him. “They said to come back tomorrow around this time to pick it up.”

\------------------------------

The next day, after having picked up Nia’s new clothes and dropped them back off at the inn, the two of them headed toward the job board at Nia’s insistence. Her plan was to pick up a job that was ideal for a Driver and Blade to make some quick cash and give Rex some Driver training at the same time. 

Once they were at the board it became clear that much of it was for just minor jobs around town. Some were just extra work hands, but a few were actually people looking for specific salvage items. Rex made note of those for later. One section of the job board was for mercenary style jobs which was probably what Nia was looking for.

“Hey now, this stuff could be good.” Nia gestured with a thumb towards the top portion of the board where bounties were posted. There were posters with the drawn faces of different criminals, but in the further corner was a stack of bounties all attached together. 

Rex approached and flipped through them. It was what he would have expected. Gormott, like most other places, had bounties for dangerous monsters that were known to cause problems. Typically they were large or aggressive members of particular species. Not unlike Leering Danfort, although Rex had never seen a posted bounty for the old bird. 

His fingers shuffled the papers, looking briefly at the bounties, descriptions, and drawings of each of the monsters. One of them gave him a serious pause. A full million gold bounty for a monster called Territorial Rotbart. The description made it clear that the beast was massive and should only be attempted by a team of several Drivers. Definitely not that one then.

“What about this one Nia?” He stepped to the side so she could look at the bounty poster. 

“A big Feris eh? Says there are probably several others in its territory. Well, Feris aren’t the worst thing out there. Should make for good practice.” Together they departed the town, heading for the area described as the territory of the Feris Sad Bernard. 

Out they went, down the ramp dodging the flow of foot traffic as they went. Even before exiting Torigoth they were treated to gorgeous views of sweeping green plains. Rex could make out the white of the Cloud Sea off to the Titan’s side as well as an abundance of wildlife roaming free. Unlike Torigoth, most of the rest of the towns on Gormott were small and scattered across the Titan’s body. That meant you could stare out across wide stretches without seeing any real signs of civilization. It was gorgeous. The colors were wrong, but the free flow of nature reminded him of home.

Rex felt the sudden upsurge of energy through his body. Nia was walking to his right and he could just faintly make out the affinity link connecting them. “You setting that up early for practice?”

“Mmm, more or less, yeah. It’ll be easier for you to tell how much of a difference it makes when we’re actually in a fight, but I’m going to open and close the link as we walk. Just raise your right hand if you can see it when it pops up, okay?” Rex nodded and felt the link break. 

It took a few hours to get towards the destination at one of the farther out spots of the Garanti Plain. During that time Nia tested him on the affinity link and gave him a few tidbits about how a Driver and Blade worked as a team. It all sounded and felt so natural. Almost like he already knew. All of it made more sense when the affinity link was up. It truly did seem like being reminded of information or having it clarified. 

At last they arrived at their goal. Up ahead he could see a pack of Feris lounging around a larger rock. Atop the rock lay a massive Feris, easily twice the size of the others that relaxed on the grass below it. Its orange fur, stout snout, and long mane made for a regal figure. Seeing the Feris in that state made Rex feel a little bad about their mission. According to the bounty poster, Sad Bernard and his pack made themselves a nuisance to travelers heading towards Torigoth. Apparently the pack made anyone on the march to Torigoth have to go way out of their way to avoid the Feris. 

The bounty on Sad Bernard’s head had been updated just a handful of days prior, bumping up to eight thousand gold from four thousand. It seemed crazy to think that without buying a ton of supplies or spending multiple days in transit he could earn eight thousand gold. Then again, normally it would take a few dozen armed men to take out a pack of Feris, especially with such a large alpha. Rex still felt strange thinking that it would be possible for a single Driver to be able to handle the challenge. Nia, however, had assured him it shouldn’t be too much trouble. 

Together they crouched down a safe distance from the pack. Nia seemed so at ease out in the wild. She hadn’t seemed nervous in town, but there was just something about how she carried herself while they were out in nature that felt more...her. “So what’s the plan? Do we just charge in there or what?”

Nia shook her head. “Nah, we’re going to smack the closest Feris with a rock and try to draw it away from the rest of the pack. As soon as one or more of them approach we’ll hit ‘em with an Art and then retreat.”

“Huh? I thought you said we could handle them no problem!” Had she underestimated the pack?

“Course we can. Doesn’t mean we have to fight stupid though. Eventually things will get chaotic, but until then we play it smart.” She dug her fingers into the dirt, coming up with a jagged palm sized rock. Her white glove was coated in dirt, but then it flickered and was pristine again. Huh, that was a neat trick.

Rex took the rock from her, lined his aim up, and pitched it as hard as he could. It sailed straight and true, pegging the nearest Feris on the hindquarters. The beast snarled and leaped to its feet, looking around. Its snout lifted to the air as it sniffed, searching for the attacker. After a moment its eyes landed on Rex and Nia. A Feris close by rose up and sauntered after the first one as it stalked towards their location.

The affinity link established between them and Rex felt a surge of power rush into him, much greater than the trickle he had previously experienced. To his right Nia had her hands held out, supplying him with power. A faint light began to rise from his body like a heat haze. “Alright. This feels amazing.”

Confidently he stood, hefting Nia’s sword in his hands. Subconsciously he shifted to a single handed grip. His normal two handed stance instinctively felt wrong for this weapon. As the affinity link between them blazed, Rex found that he simply knew how to attack without having to think about it. 

Sliding his feet he pivoted his stance, using the motion to thrust the sword straight out in a piercing strike. Ether flowed from Nia, into Rex, and out through the blade. A blue jet of ether infused water erupted from the tip of the sword and lanced out at incredible speed, striking the first Feris directly in the head. Rex winced as its head jerked back way too fast and then the beast’s body dropped limply to the ground. 

The second Feris looked to its fallen companion, nudged its body with its nose, and then growled and launched itself towards Rex and Nia. Immediately Rex knew that Nia wanted to let this one get closer. She danced a few steps backwards and Rex assumed a neutral stance.

The creature reached them and snapped at Rex with its jaws. A golden shield, segmented like a honeycomb, burst into existence around him and caused the attack to bounce off. The Feris was disoriented and shook its head. Nia’s ether barrier dissipated and the monster attacked again. With enhanced speed Rex sidestepped the follow up. In fact, it felt almost too easy to avoid its attacks. 

“Switch!” Nia’s voice pierced into Rex’s body and he tossed her sword to the right with barely a thought. Nia caught it in mid-arc and brought the weapon down in one smooth action, causing a barrage of water ether to materialize in the air above the Feris and rain down on it, slicing up its body. Like it was the most natural thing in the world Rex unhooked his junk sword and moved into the lower stance he used for it and swept the blade upwards. The Feris’ head went flying. 

Rex knelt and wiped the blood from his sword. Now that the attack was over he realized how uncomfortably easy it had been to kill those creatures. Drivers and Blades were stronger than he had realized. “You were right. Fighting like that just felt natural. I think I could have done it almost as smoothly even if you hadn’t explained anything to me. It was kinda incredible.”

“Well, I did say I was amazing, didn’t I? Anyway, I’m not a big fan of killing stuff, so let’s get this over with, yeah?” Not a big fan. Was that why it felt uncomfortable having slain them? Because the affinity link was active? Honestly Rex wasn’t sure.

A thought popped into his head. “Say, that first attack worked really well. I know you want me to get the practice, but wouldn’t it be less upsetting and easier if we just sniped them all like that? Bam bam one after the other. Like that?”

“Well sure, if you want to drain me. I process ether through you and from the environment, but I don’t have a limitless supply. If you fire off big Arts one after the other it’ll exhaust me. You’ll have to learn to judge my condition. It probably sounds like a lot to keep track of, but the more we work together the easier it’ll be.” 

Even with Nia’s various bits of advice he was learning more and more how little he knew about Blades. In fact, he had come to realize that he had gone into this knowing essentially nothing about them. “Right. So...do we want to try the same thing with the rest? Draw one or more of them away from the pack?”

Nia turned to look at the other Feris. Sad Bernard was watching them as were a few of the others, but none had gotten up. “I don’t think that’ll work. They noticed us and probably think we’re a threat, but they haven’t decided to attack yet. If we retreat they’ll probably let us go, but if we get much closer they’ll likely attack en masse.”

Rex planted his sword point first into the ground and leaned against it, considering the situation. If the Feris stayed all bunched together and he and Nia attacked they would get swarmed from all sides. She could shield them with an ether barrier, but obviously she wouldn’t be able to hold it up forever. If only there were some way to divide them up like with the first attack.

He blinked and looked first at his sword and then at hers. Here he was thinking of Driver and Blade as just a team where the Blade supported the Driver, but that wasn’t right. They just needed to be close together for the ether transfer to work so there were other options, right? “I think I’ve got an idea.”

Less than a minute later they were ready. He just had to hope this worked. “Ready?”, he asked. He felt an affirmation from her almost before he saw her nod. “Right! Here we go!”

Rex charged forward, letting out a battlecry. Immediately the Feris were on the alert. In mid-run Rex launched that straight piercing ether attack straight at Sad Bernard. The mighty Feris took the attack in the shoulder and tumbled back. Without pausing Rex tossed Nia’s sword to the side and brought his own up. 

A rain of scything water pounded down among the Feris pack, cutting some and causing others to dash in different directions to get out from under Nia’s attack. With the pack in chaos Rex and Nia arrived in their midst. They spun and struck in near unison, Rex swinging his heavy junk sword around in big sweeps and Nia dancing gracefully amongst the Feris with precise strikes. 

Moments later as the pack recovered and tried to encircle them, Rex and Nia went back to back. Their affinity link pulsed bright and brighter as ether flowed between them. Without looking Rex held his sword to the side while Nia did the same. In near unison they exchanged weapons and Rex dashed forward, stabbing and striking at the Feris who had previously been avoiding his big swings. On her side Nia made huge horizontal strikes at high speed, driving the Feris back and taking down a few in the process.

Sad Bernard let out a wild howl as he leapt up from behind the rock where he had previously stumbled. He had been out of the fight for only a short time, but it had been enough to gain Rex and Nia the advantage. The mighty Feris charged down towards them just as they finished off the last smaller Feris. 

“Rex!”, Nia cried out.

“On it!” They tossed weapons to each other, switching again. Water ether flowed around Nia’s arm and she heaved her weapon like it was a spear. It soared through the air and caught Sad Bernard in the chest before it landed. 

A wild howl of pain and rage erupted from the monster’s mouth. Nia hopped up effortlessly into the air like she weighed nothing and Rex swung his sword towards her, flat end out. Her feet touched the side of the blade and Rex swung with all his might, powered up by the ether she poured into him. 

Nia was launched forward at incredible speed, reaching Bernard before it could react. Her gloved hands latched onto her weapon and she used her momentum to spin, dragging her sword up and out of its chest, decapitating it in one mighty wrench. Silence fell upon the battle. It had taken maybe a minute, but Rex felt physically and mentally drained. That last attack hadn’t been a part of the plan, but it had felt natural. 

His Blade poked Sad Bernard’s head with her foot. “Well...I’m not carrying it.”

\-------------------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The hardest part of this chapter? Jin's hair color. While playing the game I always thought of it as white, and even described his hair as white when I first wrote the chapter. However, several sources seemed to indicate his hair is supposed to be silver. Left me going "but okay, which is it?" Feel free to weigh in.


	3. A Mercenary Disposition

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, I managed to fix a formatting error caused by my having no clue how this website works and edited it in the previous chapters. Future generations will have to enjoy the mystery of what the heck I'm talking about as there will be no proof remaining.

Carrying Sad Bernard’s head back to Torigoth had turned out to be more difficult than Rex had been anticipating. For starters, once he had gotten up close he realized the head was about as big as his chest. Then had come the discovery that it weighed easily more than twenty kilograms. Rex had been forced to cut away some of Bernard’s fur and fashion a makeshift sheet to drag it with. Thankfully Nia used water that she summoned to wash away most of the blood and clean the fur off.

Intermittently Nia would establish the affinity link to boost his strength and stamina, making the work easier. However, according to her it was best that he not get over reliant on her power. Rex was pretty sure she just thought it was funny to watch him drag the head along. If the thing hadn’t been so big he wouldn’t have minded just carrying it, but it was simply too large to get a proper grip on.

As a result it took longer than the trip out to return to Torigoth. Prior to reaching the city itself Rex made sure to wrap the head up completely in the fur so it wasn’t visible. It wouldn’t do to scare the locals by pulling a Feris head openly through town. On their way back in he grabbed the bounty poster from the job board just in case someone needed a reminder. 

According to the details in the sheet he would have to verify with the local military base in order to get paid. The Ardainian Consulate in Gormott seemed to be in charge of any bounties, except those that were issued by individuals or companies. Rex had heard mercenaries in Argentum complain that the Ardainian government required that all mercenary requests in their territories be processed through them for approval. That was part of why the profession was more common in Uraya. 

Unfortunately for him that meant he had to take Bernard’s head through the entire length of Torigoth, past the farms on the far side, and all the way out to the Torigoth Relay Base. It took a painful amount of time. Literally. His arms and shoulders were killing him by the time they reached the entrance to the base where a handful of Ardainian soldiers in their pointy helmets and black military gear stood guard.

“What’s this then? You, boy! What are you dragging there?” One of the Ardainian soldiers approached while the other three hung back. Rex noticed that they were slouching at first, but gripped their weapons a little tighter when they saw Nia. Probably more alert in the presence of a Driver than a normal citizen.

Rex reached into his pocket and pulled out the bounty, unrolling it so the guard could see. “I was told this is where I had to bring proof of a bounty in order to get paid.”

The guard leaned in to get a look at the paper Rex was carrying and then nudged the fur sack Rex had been dragging. Jabbed it with the butt of his rifle more like. “Let’s have a look then.”

Hastily Rex untied the wrap so the guard could get a good peek. After the man had leaned in for a look Rex started to close it back up. “Satisfied?”

“More or less. I’ll escort you in. We don’t exactly issue the gold out front.” The soldier gestured by waving his rifle. Rex looked over to Nia, who shrugged in response, and they proceeded to follow. For her part Nia renewed the affinity link between them. Rex wasn’t sure if it was to aid in the last leg or just her being on guard for trouble. Either way he was grateful.

They were led further into the military base, which was as drab and grey as Rex had expected. Hundreds of Ardanian soldiers in different uniforms marched around, most of them in the traditional black clothes with the gas mask helmet. Some were patrolling around the large buildings that were either storage or barracks. Others appeared to be going through drills. There were a few armored canine creatures that Rex had heard of Ardanians using, but never seen before. 

The soldier stopped them right before reaching a white topped tent that was set up directly to the right of a cement and metal bridge that extended to the docking bay of a small moored Ardanian ship. Their guide saluted and then motioned for Rex and Nia to approach the tent.

A middle-aged man with grey-tinged black hair and brown eyes sat at a table. Based on the uniform he wore he was probably some sort of important rank, but Rex didn’t know the Ardainian Empire’s military structure. Didn’t care to either. Couldn’t be too important if he was just in some random tent in an Ardanian province. “Oh, what’s this? New recruits?”

From behind him Rex heard the guard that had led them there speak up. “Sir no sir. They brought the head of that nasty Feris Bernard for the bounty, sir.”

The man at the table saluted lazily and Rex heard the guard step out. “Well young man, you might not have come with the intent of signing up, but I wouldn’t be doing my duty if I didn’t tell you that the Ardainian Empire is always looking to recruit Drivers. The pay is good and it’s consistent, which I know isn’t always the case for a mercenary.”

Rex rubbed the back of his head with one hand. “I’m not a mercenary. Actually, I’m a salvager. I just did this for some quick cash.” Rex noticed Nia was being oddly silent, but she was still maintaining their affinity link. 

The recruit gestured placatingly. “Well that’s just as erratic. Maybe more so. Military life can provide stability. Drivers are also fast tracked for officer training and are guaranteed a higher pay rate than normal rank and file soldiers. I’d be happy to provide paperwork to show you what the benefits would be like.”

This man was really pushing and it was starting to get on Rex’s nerves. “Listen, no offense, but I’m just here for the cash. I don’t even salvage stuff that’s for use by any army. There’s more war on Alrest than there has any need to be and I’ve got no interest in being part of the problem.”

There was a recognition of defeat in the middle-aged man’s eyes. He hadn’t appeared to be offended by Rex’s words though. “Well keep it in mind. We can move on to processing the bounty payment. Let’s see the proof.”

Rex went through the same rigamarole he had with the guard, untying the pelt so that the head could be inspected. The man looked it over for a minute before standing up and nodding. “That’s Sad Bernard for sure. Good work young man. Step to the table and we’ll do the paperwork to get you paid.”

The man leaned out and snapped an order for someone to collect the head. A pair of Ardanian soldiers came in almost immediately and dragged the remains off. Rex and Nia took a seat at the table opposite where the soldier had been sitting. He held out his hand. “Staff Sergeant Avacin.”

Rex reluctantly shook Avacin’s hand. “Rex.” 

Avacin made no move to offer a hand to Nia or ask her name. In fact, now that Rex was paying attention the Ardanian had barely glanced at her. “This is Nia,” Rex said motioning to his Blade. 

“Indeed.” Barely a reaction.

Rex’s hands balled up against his sides, but uncurled when Nia gently and silently laid a hand on his wrist. There was a sense of reluctant acceptance and warning coming through the link. Very subtly she shook her head, barely a motion at all, just to make sure he got the message. _'I’ll tolerate it, but it’s still a crappy way to treat someone.’_

Avacin slid some paperwork across the table to him along with a pencil. “Just fill out the portion above the bottom line and we’ll get this taken care of.”

Rex started in, filling out the basics. Mostly it seemed to just want a name, place of operation, the name of the bounty, and things that only mattered if he were a member of a mercenary troupe. There was one part that gave him pause. A single spot that said ‘Driver Registration Number’. 

He paused, scratching the pencil against the side of his head. “Hey...what’s this part? What’s a Driver Registration Number? Am I just supposed to pick something?”

Avacin groaned and rubbed the bridge of his nose with two fingers. “You seriously don’t know? All Drivers must register with Indol. That’s how the number of Drivers and Blades is kept track of. If you’re not registered you’re an illegal Driver. I can’t pay a bounty to an unregistered Driver and I’d have to arrest you.”

“What?! Just for that? How was I even supposed to know?” Rex readied himself to make a run for it.

“Rex only Awakened me the other day Staff Sergeant. Couldn’t he register now so that you can still pay him and not arrest him?” Nia finally got Avacin’s attention. The old soldier looked at Nia carefully and then slowly nodded.

“Aye, that’s fine. Honestly I wouldn’t want to arrest a kid just for not knowing any better. I’ve got the paperwork here. It’s a little more involved than what you’re doing there though.” Avacin dug through a file cabinet to the side and produced a set of multiple pages that he passed over to Rex. 

Rex set to work on the registration papers, but he did find them a little more detailed than the bounty paperwork. Indol apparently required a lot more information. Some of which he had to ask Nia about. The basics were there about his name, place of residence (Rex put ‘Cloud Sea’ for that one), age, and so on. It also wanted all sorts of stuff about Nia herself. Some of it was simple like her ether element and gender, but it got way more detailed than what he had to fill out. 

They had to put in things like height, Blade category (which turned out to be ‘healer’), common or unique, and a variety of questions about the origin of the Core Crystal, the Blade’s weapon type, and the Blade’s appearance. It even required that Avacin take out a camera to take a picture of each of them so that it could be attached to the paperwork. 

Once they handed it back Avacin filled out his portion, checked separate paperwork for information, and then finally stamped everything and passed Rex a slip of paper with his registration number on it. He was apparently 74539-ML and Nia was registered as his Blade with the number 74539-UWF. All in all it had taken much longer than Rex had been expecting.

Finally with all of that out of the way Rex was able to finish the bounty paperwork, return it to Avacin, and several minutes later they were headed out with gold in hand. At the end there Rex suspected that Avacin was just as eager to be done with it as they were.

As soon as they were out of earshot of the guards at the base entrance, both Rex and Nia let out a sigh of relief. Nia finally let the affinity link between them dissolve. “Sheesh,” she said. “Dunno if I like the idea of a bunch of religious types knowing everything about me. Did they really need to know my weight? Ugh, the whole thing was degrading.” 

“I’m sorry Nia, I had no idea.” She waved away his concern casually.

“I appreciate that sentiment, but you didn’t set up the system. We had to do it. I’d like to take whoever did come up with it and kick ‘em right in the shin, that’s what I’d want.” She mimed kicking someone. Rex laughed, feeling some of the awkwardness and tension bleeding away. 

“Careful if you do. With those pointy ends you’d prolly take their shins off.” In response Nia leaned down and tapped the sharp end of one of the spikes sticking up from her boots. She shrugged as if it didn’t bother her.

“You know what we need Rex?”

He shook his head.

“We need some grub. Come on, let’s go!” Without warning she grabbed his arm and started back towards town, practically dragging him behind her. The wide grin on her face when she looked back at him made the whole ordeal worth it. Well, that and eight thousand gold.

\-----------------------

Rex found himself astonished at how impressively Nia was able to pack away food. He hadn’t had many opportunities to spend lots of time around girls, but from what he knew they didn’t usually order two full plates of fried fish and make them disappear like it was a magic trick. For his part he was just enjoying a local noodle dish. It wasn’t that different from some of what he could get in Argentum, but it was still tasty.

“So do you...like...restock ether by eating or…?”

Nia paused and swallowed what she was chewing before responding. “Nope. But listen, I’m a growing girl. I need lots of nutrients to grow big and strong.”

“Is that true?”

“Not even a little bit.” Back to eating she went.

Rex sighed and returned to his food. He shouldn’t have expected any different. She seemed to get equal joy teasing and teaching him. “Say Nia, while I’m thinking about it I’m going to pop into the inn and drop off this gold. I’ll be back in just a minute.” 

“No problem.”

Nia watched out of the corner of her eyes as Rex walked off. Thankfully they were at the cafe next to the inn again so it really wouldn’t take him long. Her ears shifted, picking his footsteps out from those in the crowd until they were too far away to detect. _’Honestly, he’s a little too gullible sometimes.’_

Her fork hit an empty plate and she glared down at the now absent food. _’Already? Ugh, I’ve got no one to blame but myself. It’d be nice if eating like this actually did make me taller though.’_

She let the fork fall with a clatter onto the plate and then leaned back in her chair. There was an immediate desire to kick her feet up on the table, but she knew the other people dining at the cafe wouldn’t appreciate that. 

So far it hadn’t been too bad teaching a newbie Driver. Not that she knew what it would have been like if her Driver was experienced. Would it be less fun? Rex was certainly a cheerful kid. Kid he was despite his protests. Having a job didn’t make someone an adult no matter what he seemed to think. 

_’It’s not so bad, having an idealistic kid as a Driver though. Better Rex than someone like that Avacin jerk.’_

She could still picture Rex’s innocent golden eyes fixed on hers and that youthfully certain voice. _“I just thought that the person in that Core Crystal….that you...deserved to be alive.”_

Nia squeezed her eyes shut and flicked her ears from side to side to banish the image. For a kid that line had been slick. _’Course, it wasn’t a line.’_ And that was why it had struck a chord with her. 

Her eyes snapped open and her ears straightened when she realized that footsteps were approaching her. Not Rex’s footsteps. She looked to the left in time to see a pair of burly men approaching. One of them was a broad chested fellow with a slight paunch, reddish hair, a puffy beard, and the ears of a Gormotti. One of the ears had a little notch sliced off of it. The other man was an equally large Urayan with teal hair and thick black scales along the sides of his face.

The Gormotti had a massive greataxe strapped to his back and the Urayan had a long spear with a wide cone shaped head. A little ways behind them waited a pair of Common Blades, one a female with cat-like ears and the other one of the hulking types with huge shoulders. A pair of Drivers. That would have been obvious from the Blade weapons even if their Blades hadn’t been present. 

The two Drivers stopped just next to her, the big Gormotti leaning in with one hand against the table. Nia heard the other guests pause in their eating so they could watch what was going on. _’Sure,’_ she thought. _’Just look. Don’t say a damned thing. Buncha cowards.’_

“Hey pretty girl. Where’s yer Driver?” That Gormotti accent was slurred and Nia could easily pick up the smell of alcohol on his breath. The Urayan chuckled from his spot just behind her.

“Are you blind? Or did you not see the bowl across from me? Now buzz off.” Rex had her sword, but she was prepared to dispel that one and summon a new one if it became necessary. 

“Now now sweet thing. Why not come with us and have some fun?” He leaned in a little closer for emphasis. 

Nia rolled her eyes and stared pointedly between them at the two men’s Blades. “Aren’t you two ashamed of yourselves, letting your Drivers make fools of themselves like this? Got no pride?”

The Blades shuffled their feet and looked away, avoiding her gaze. Of course they did. The Urayan grabbed the back of her chair. “Hey! Talk to us! We’re talking to you after all. It’s impolite.”

Yeah, impolite. That was what it was. The Gormotti Driver leaned close and put a sweaty hand on her left shoulder. “Come on luv, come off with us and we’ll show you a good time. Me and Baird just got paid for a little job and we’re flush with cash.”

Nia looked at the offending hand and then up to the Gormotti. “If your hand isn’t off my shoulder in ten seconds I’ll bite one of your fingers off.” She flashed her sharp canines at him. 

“Feisty. I like that.” Nia heard the Urayan behind her, Baird, shifting his stance. Her ears picked up a metallic clicking sound. He had probably just put a hand onto the Megalance attached to his back. 

Nia began to gather ether from the surrounding atmosphere, her right hand prepared to call out her weapon. “Five.”

“Oi! What the hell’s going on here?” Rex’s voice cut through all the other ambient sounds of a busy Torigoth and reached them. The two Drivers shifted and looked up as Rex approached from the inn at a steady trot.

“What’s this? This little runt yer Driver?”, asked the Gormotti.

Baird stepped away from Nia’s chair and moved to get in Rex’s way. “Now hold on kid. We’re just having a bit of honest fun. You’ve got yerself a pretty Blade and we wanted a bit of her time. Can’t fault us for that, can ye?”

“Since it looks pretty clear she wants no part of it I think I can fault you. What kind of Drivers are you acting like that to a Blade?” Nia looked over to see what was going on and the Gormotti took a few steps to the side so he was free to act if he needed to.

There was Rex, looking tiny standing in front of the huge Urayan Baird. There wasn’t a hint of hesitation in his golden eyes. Baird held up a hand wardingly, although Nia noticed he kept the other relaxed in just the right way that he could go for his Megalance if he needed to. “Like I said, it was just good fun. Besides, she’s just a Blade.”

In the blink of an eye Rex had Nia’s sword out and leveled directly at the drunken Urayan. A hush fell and Nia heard someone in the gathering crowd whisper for someone to call the guards.

Rex’s glare was surprisingly fierce for such a young man as he held the sword steady and pointed tip aimed at Baird. “Do you want to say that again?” There was an impressive air of menace to his words.

“Listen you little shit, put yer damned sword down before I crush ya!” He started to reach for his weapon, but Rex pushed the tip of Nia’s sword closer to him and Baird dropped his hands. 

Nia heard the clack of the Gormotti beginning to unsheath his weapon. Immediately she pushed away from the table, letting herself flip backwards over the chair. As soon as her feet hit the ground she shoved the chair forward with all her might. It struck the Gormotti in the legs and he tumbled forward over it. Nia saw the pair of Blades beginning to move, but she stretched out one of her legs and carefully lifted up the Gormotti Driver’s chin with one of the spikes of her shoes. “I wouldn’t,” she warned.

“What the hell is going on here?!” Nia didn’t look up, but she did swivel one of her ears towards the new voice. The Gormotti Driver below her looked more afraid now than he did with Nia’s boot at his neck.

Feeling a little more at ease she looked slightly to the side to see an Ardainian man pushed through the crowd, parting it easily with a slender, but tall Common Blade marching behind him. This man was no soldier though. He wore black and grey fatigues in a simple style, but he carried himself with the casual ease of a practiced fighter. 

“Baird, Gallus, hands to your sides! Akebono, Iroha! Stand down!” The Gormotti at her feet, Gallus apparently, brought his arms sharply to the side. A quick glance showed her that Baird had done the same. Another swift look revealed that both of the Blades had adopted a more relaxed stance, with their hands clasped behind their backs.

The Ardainian Driver stopped just before reaching the table. He nodded calmly to her. “Miss, do you mind telling me what my men here did to deserve this?” 

“Sure. These idiots decided they wanted to get drunk in the middle of the day and harass me. My Driver came to my defense.” 

The Driver looked down at Gallus. “Is that accurate?”

“More or less,” mumbled Gallus. 

From the side Nia heard Baird snap out saying, “If the boss were here~”

The Ardainian cut him off. “If the boss were here he’d have handed your asses to you already! Pack your things up and head back to the boat. We’re done with our jobs on Gormott and you two are spending the remaining time before we ship out under house arrest. The boss will doll out any additional punishments when we get back to Garfront.” 

There were a few mumbles from the men until their leader said, “What do you say?”

“Yes sir, Yew, sir!” Their leader, Yew, nodded once and then looked Nia in the eye again.

“I apologize for the behavior of these idiots. If you don’t mind letting Gallus up I’ll make sure they get out of your hair.” Nia stepped away and let the Gormotti scramble to his feet. To the side she saw Rex putting away her sword as Baird cautiously walked away. Rex then approached Nia and Yew.

“Nia, are you okay?” Of course there was genuine concern in his voice. As if she hadn’t just flattened the drunken idiot in seconds. Good kid.

“Course I am. Not sure I could take a pair of Drivers and Blades at the same time even if they were drunk, but one drunken Driver? Not even a challenge.” Rex seemed to relax a little. She still felt a little uneasy, but there had been a little bit of satisfaction she got from making a fool of that jerk. 

Yew looked them both over. “So, kid, what made you draw on Baird?”

Rex shrugged. “He disrespected Nia. Treated her like she wasn’t even a person. I’d had enough of hearing that crap.”

_’So,’_ thought Nia. _’It was still bothering him from earlier.’_

Yew silently observed Rex for a moment...and then burst into a wide grin. “Ha! The boss would like you! What’s your name kid?”

“Rex. I’m no kid. I work for a living.” There that was again. And was Yew nodding as if that made perfect sense? Men! Lunatics every one of them.

“Well Rex, Nia, if you two are ever looking for any good mercenary work just drop by Garfront Village in Uraya. I’ll pick up your tab for the meal and I’ll make sure the boss knows that we owe you a favor for having to deal with those drunken fools. How’s that sound?” 

Rex and Nia exchanged looks. “Well it’s better than nothing. Don’t know that I’m looking for the mercenary lifestyle, but I’ll keep it in mind. I’m a salvager by trade.”

Yew shrugged like it didn’t matter. “We need all types in the Garfront Mercenaries. Some of our mercs are even licensed salvagers. You might be surprised to learn there’s quite a few Blades in our number who are skilled salvagers as well. More than we’ve got licensed salvagers, which is honestly why we need more.”

“Why’s that?”

“None of the trade guilds or national governments issue salvager’s licenses to Blades. It’s stupid, but it is what it is.” Yew walked to the table and laid out a surprisingly huge pile of gold. Far more than was needed to cover the meal. 

The mercenary headed on his way, waving casually at them as he went. His Blade trailed a few feet behind him. “You two take care! If any drunken mercs bother you again just tell them to take it up with Whirlwind Yew!” 

Nia was sure Rex didn’t hear, but her ears picked up Yew’s Blade whispering to him. “You’ve really got to fix that nickname. I’m not even wind element.”

The owner of the inn finally approached and it was left to Rex and Nia to deal with the fallout. The woman seemed upset at first, but became more much obliging when she saw all the gold Yew had left for the trouble. 

It had certainly been an interesting day.

\-----------------------

Rex and Nia waited at the docks for Gramps’ arrival. Rex could already see him out in the distance, slowly swimming in. Rex energtically waved even though he wasn’t sure that Gramps could see him. Nia grinned and elbowed him in the ribs. “It’s been what, a week or so since you last saw your Grampa? Somebody get lonely?”

He stopped waved and grabbed at her arm to stop her from elbowing him. “Come on Nia, it’s not like that. A guy can be happy to see someone without being lonely. Besides, I’ve been looking forward to introducing you to him. He’s gonna flip when he sees that I’m a Driver.”

An image of Gramps literally doing a loop in mid-air zipped through his mind, making him snicker a little. “Well, not literally I hope. Wouldn’t want to ruin the only place I’ve got to live.”

Nia blinked and leaned in closer to Rex. “What do you mean by that? Your Grampa isn’t the violent type is he?” 

“What? Gramps? No way! He wouldn’t hurt a fly unless it bothered him first. Although I did see him get grouchy and beat up a serpond once. Great big ol’ thing had to be half as long as one of those light Ardanian battleships.” At his side Nia gawked open mouthed and then turned to stare at the approaching Titan vessel that Rex had pointed out.

_’What kind of person takes on a serpond that massive?’_

“Ah! Here he comes! Gramps!” Rex started waving with both arms as the long neck Titan with the crane sticking out of its back made the last approach to an open berth at the docks that Rex had prepared. 

Nia noticed that there was no sign of an engine or anything fancy and mechanical attached. From this angle it appeared that outside of a small metal shack, the crane, and a series of planters there was nothing unusual about the Titan. Also, now that she had a better look the shack was even smaller than she had expected. Rex said he was going to add an extension, but did he live in that shack with his Grampa or was his Grampa just bringing the Titan to pick Rex up?

The large white Titan, a mossy mane flowing down its neck, pulled to a stop right next to them. Rex made no effort to try and tie it in place, not that Nia could see a spot it could be tied. Not that a rope could keep a Titan that size in place. “Gramps! Hey, it’s good to see you! I’m glad they got the message to you. I wasn’t sure how close you’d be sticking to Argentum.”

The Titan turned its and in a deep, but gentle voice began to speak. “Oh I never strayed too far. Some of the shop owners there know how to treat an old Titan well and were keen on sneaking me succulent morsels. Most of it was a bit fatty for someone my age, but everyone deserves a tasty snack now and then.”

“Gramps, you say that every time, but you never turn ‘em down.” Rex shook his head, not truly looking exasperated. Just mildly amused.

Nia’s head and ears flicked back and forth between the two. Rex and the Titan. The Titan and Rex. Usually her ears were focused in the opposite direction of her gaze. She pointed at Rex and then at the Titan. Then back. “Rex...you...he...is your Gramps a TITAN?”

She might have gotten a little loud there. A few other people milling about on the docks were looking their way. The Titan leaned his long neck down to get a little closer. Nia gulped and edged back slightly. His head was huge...he could probably eat her in two bites. 

“Now Rex, who is this young lady? Has my Rex finally found a girl that he’s sweet on? And here in Gormott of all places! Is this why you wanted me to come pick you up? To show off?” The Titan rumbled out a laugh that vibrated Nia’s ears. 

Rex blushed and waved his hands as if warding off evil. “Nothing like that! Come on Gramps, don’t tease me like that.”

Her Driver turned and gave her an apologetic grin. “Sorry, could have sworn I mentioned it.”

Nia felt the corner of her left eye twitch. She could see it. Rex was trying to hold back a smile. He was laughing at her! “You little so-and-so! You just did this to see my reaction!”

“Haha! Guilty as charged. It was worth it though, you shoulda seen your face!” Rex proceeded to get a good laugh going. Meanwhile the Titan, Rex’s “Gramps” apparently, was watching them both clearly confused.

“Won’t someone please explain to an Old Titan what on Alrest is going on here?” 

Nia looked up at the Titan and then jerked a thumb towards Rex. “This grandson of yours told me you were coming and talked you up, but failed to mention that you were a Titan. Anyway, why is a Human going around calling a Titan ‘Gramps’?”

“Oh my, that’s quite a long story I suppose. More Rex’s to tell than mine I suppose. For my part, well I helped raise the boy. Rex? Would you care to introduce us?” 

_’Wait a sec,’_ thought Nia. _’How did a Titan teach someone how to use a sword?’_

Rex wiped tears of mirth from his eyes, finally having gotten it out of his system. “Right right. Nia, this is Gramps. His real name is Azurda, but really only Auntie Corinne calls him that.”

He turned to his Gramps. “And Gramps this,” he gestured almost theatrically towards Nia. “Is Nia. She’s my Blade.”

Nia raised a hand in greeting. Azurda didn’t seem to have a hand to shake after all. “Hi. Nice to meet you.”

For his part the elderly Titan swiveled his head back and forth between the two of them. “Obviously I knew she was a Blade, but I assumed you had simply found a local Blade girl that was willing to tolerate your antics. My Rex...a Driver.”

Wait, was he tearing up? Nia had only been alive for about a week, but she found it unlikely that in any past life she had ever seen a Titan cry before. 

Azurda shook his head and then darted it down so he was eye to eye with Rex. “Rex! I always suspected you had the aptitude to become a Driver, but I told you before that it was foolhardy to attempt to resonate with a Core Crystal at such a young age! You could have died! What would I have done? Why would you do it without me nearby in case you needed me?”

Rex raised up his hands, palms out between him and Azurda. “I know I know. I get it, alright? I’m an idiot. But Gramps, can you just trust me and believe that it wasn’t like that? It was something that I had to do. It was the right thing to do.”

Azurda tilted his head to the side, examining Rex carefully. Then the Titan turned his gaze to Nia who grinned weakly up at him. Finally, satisfied with whatever it was he saw, Azurda pulled his head back away from them. “Very well. I suppose I can trust you at that. You always do try to do the right thing even when it’s not the wisest.”

“And where do you think I learned that from?” 

The Titan made odd sounds in the back of his throat and looked up and away. If he had been capable of it Nia was fairly certain Azurda would have been blushing. “Azurda, err Gramps, if it helps, Rex has been an excellent Driver. You raised a good person.”

“Ah, yes, well of course. I admit that even between myself and Corinne Rex was always a handful. Never a bad child though. Often the most work of everyone we took care of. Although none of them gravitated towards me the way Rex did.” The old Titan smiled fondly at his old memories. 

“Come on Gramps, you’re embarrassing me. Let’s catch up as we go. I’ll fill you in on what we need to do and why I asked you to come to Torigoth. We’ll be sticking around for at least another few days see.” And Rex began explaining to Azurda his plans to expand the shack so that Nia could join them on their travels. 

Some things that Azurda and Rex had said, as well as a few that they had left unsaid bounced around in her mind. Both Rex and Azurda had said that it was the Titan and this “Auntine Corinne” who had raised Rex. They also mentioned other kids, but Rex had never called them siblings. Then there was Rex’s words telling her that family was something you chose. Not once had either of them mentioned Rex’s parents. 

_’Rex...I guess there’s a lot I don’t know about you. On the other hand it feels like other than teaching about being Driver and Blade there’s not a lot of ‘me’ to tell him about. Just out of the Core Crystal, nothing to know but the things I was born with. Am I boring? Am I...empty?’_

The boy in question briefly flashed her a smile even while he was chatting with his Gramps. Just something casual and cheerful. That warm smile of his that was so genuine. Nia couldn’t help but smile back. _’Gramps, I think your grandson is more dangerous than you realize. If nothing else that damn smile is dangerous. Sheesh. What have I gotten into?’_

\--------------------

Rex got hard to work, really showing off the work ethic that had been driving him for years. He quickly set to buying the parts that he needed and even managed to do a bit of salvaging in exchange for borrowing some of the tools he didn’t have. He just needed to make a metal structure with a sheet of metal that could slide out and lock into place. That way it would be safe and sealed from storm winds. 

He also went and bought some simple fabric so that he could rig up a small section of curtain to act as a door between the two halves. He’d also have to anchor the new slides into place. Thankfully Gramps’ hide was pretty thick and it wouldn’t hurt him. 

All in all with having to salvage to get a hold of some of the tools the whole thing was going to take about three days from start to finish, allowing time for rest and proper safety inspections after it was done.

While he was actually working, rather than trekking with parts from elsewhere in town, Gramps kept him company. Not that Gramps had a choice since it was literally happening on the Titan’s back. Nia would usually perch on the crane and watch Rex from up above, either silently or making the occasional joke. Often at his expense. 

She seemed fairly bored, but periodically she would open the affinity link with him to give him a boost. All without saying a word about it. Rex didn’t know if she was just trying not to draw attention to it or if she was still testing him. Either way, he made sure to raise his right hand whenever he noticed the blue line of the affinity link. It was getting easier to see it. Sure enough, it wasn’t sight at all. In a way he could even “see” it when the affinity link was behind him. He just...knew it was there. 

Nia also accompanied him into town whenever he needed to collect parts. There wasn’t comfortably enough room to set everything on Gramps’ back and do the work there at the same time, so he had to buy what he needed sections at a time. He had tried to convince one of the dock managers to let him store some of the equipment in one of their storage sheds. They had agreed, but the price was way too high and he couldn’t get them to budge on it.

His Blade didn’t spend the whole day there with them. She would also go into town for breaks, to explore for fun, or to grab food for the three of them. Rex didn’t ask for her help with the construction. He was confident he could handle it himself and she was doing plenty whenever she gave him an ether boost. Midway through each day she even put her hands out to him and sent waves of ether cascading over him. That was the first healing she did for him.

Even though he wasn’t injured Rex found that when she used her healing on him much of the exhaustion and ache in his muscles would fade away. She insisted that it was fine to use for something simple like this, but that ether based healing wasn’t something to overdo. Nia explained something about natural cellular regeneration and maximized ether rejuvenation effects and a bunch of other things that he didn’t understand. It sounded impressive anyway.

On the second day, while Rex was working, Nia had gone back into town. She was making her way around trying to decide what to buy for Rex and her to have for lunch. It had been her insistence that she also collect fish to feed Azurda since he couldn’t currently leave the docks. 

Day one she had arranged a deal with a local place called Tomi Fishmongers for a large supply of raw fish each day. That would be her last stop for her little trip. Currently she was trying to pick a good place to get lunch from. She had grabbed a few things from the butcher the first day since Rex had mentioned it had been good when he tried it. Today she was hoping to find something different.

Her nose drew her towards the smell of freshly baked bread. Off she went towards the start of the residential district. It was busy enough that she had to stand in line for a bit before she made it to the front. The man running the place was a heavy chested Gormotti man with thick dark hair and an equally impressive beard. “Hullo,” she said.

“Afternoon. Looking for anything in particular Miss?” Most of the shopkeepers she had found were polite to Blades. Nobody had been openly antagonistic or dismissive like Avacin or those Drivers. On the other hand they were getting paid and she had seen a few other Blades buying things. Not an uncommon sight then. 

Nia shook that line of thought away. She let her nose guide her and pointed out a few things for the man to wrap up for her to take away. Two of them he recommended as some of his fan favorites, the Beat Paste Paratha and Cream Orange Paratha. Once everything was all packed up she paid the man, thanked him, and wandered off.

Feeling peckish she reached into the bag and grabbed the first one. Wrapped in paper to make it easier to hold was a rolled up bit of flatbread with a white cream and bits of what looked like hot orange stuffed in. It smelled good. Hesitantly she took a big bite, chewed for a moment, and then grimaced as she swallowed it down. It was a blend of sweet, creamy, and a little tangy that was balanced out by the flatbread absorbing some of the flavors and adding a contrasting texture. However…

“Yuck. Too much contrast. Anyone who likes that stuff needs their taste buds fixed.” Rex would probably eat it. Surreptitiously she folded the paratha in on itself to disguise that she had taken a bite. He probably wouldn’t even notice. Hopefully.

“Nia?” Nia’s ears flicked towards the sound of her own name. It was a serene woman’s voice that she didn’t recognize.

Nia turned and saw another Blade approaching her, a paper bag tucked under one arm. The Blade was a tall slim woman with long blonde hair so pale that it was almost white that reached even farther down than Nia’s own, nearly touching the ground. Her skin was nearly as pale and framed pretty purple eyes. The dress the woman wore was long, flowing, and a mix of whites and golds. Most unusual about her were the blue circlets that floated around each wrist and about her neck. At second glance they were at her ankles as well.

The Blade put a hand up to her mouth and smiled brightly. “Oh Nia, it is you! It’s been too long!”

Within a few moments she was standing about a half meter from Nia and smiling down at her. Nia noticed that the woman’s Core Crystal was diamond shaped much like her own. That smile, that recognition. It made Nia feel awful about what would come next.

“I’m sorry, but...I’m not the same Nia you knew.” So Nia had lived here in Torigoth in a past life. Or maybe just in Gormott. That made sense since Rex had awakened her here. She hadn’t asked where he had gotten her Core Crystal. She wasn’t certain she wanted to know. Nia was Nia. Whoever she had been before was just a stranger.

The Blade still smiled despite Nia’s words. “Oh that’s alright dear. My old self was a close companion of an even older version of you so this wouldn’t be the first time. That’s just the way it is with us Blades. Personally I think a good friendship can transcend lives, don’t you?”

There was something calming about this woman’s attitude. “I dunno. Hadn’t thought about it. I was only Awakened about a week ago.”

“Oh I’d love to meet your new Driver. If you don’t mind that is. You’re welcome to come see Mabon with me anytime if you’d like. I’ve been with him for ages and I’m sure he’d be happy to see you.” What a cheerful woman. Kind of motherly too. Nia didn’t have a good idea of what mothers were like, but this was pretty close to the image that came to mind.

“I’ll...ask. Thanks by the way. For being a friendly face who knows mine.” 

That smile again. “Of course dear. Oh, I never did say my name? I got so distracted by saying hello that I didn’t even think about it. I’m Vess.”

Vess held out her free hand and Nia gladly took it. “Vess, I’m just now realizing that you’re the first other Blade I’ve gotten to talk to since I Awakened. My Driver and his Gramps, they’re great, but not all the Humans around here…” She let her words trail off.

When their hands separated, Vess’ floating halos jingled as she moved, the woman ran her hand through her hair to sweep part of it off her shoulder. She was very pretty in a mature sort of way. “I know just what you mean. Mabon and his children are wonderful and Mabon’s wife was also very sweet when she was alive, but so many people don’t understand us and don’t try. I’ll tell you what. If you do come and visit I’ll give you a copy of a book I think you’ll find interesting.”

“Alright, that does sound nice.” A thought popped into her head. “Sorry to cut and run Vess, but I was bringing this food back so my Driver and I could have lunch. I also need to pick up some fish so a certain Titan doesn’t get grumpy. Don’t ask.”

Nia turned heel, feeling energized. “I hope to talk to you later Vess! Take care!”

“Goodbye Nia! Enjoy your lunch!” 

Would Rex want to meet Vess and her Driver Mabon? Probably. Maybe after they finished expanding the shack they could take an extra day and have dinner with Vess. Oooh, maybe she should try to talk to some of the other Blades in town. Get to know them. See what other Blades thought of the world. 

The old Nia had a friend. Maybe she could be the new Nia’s friend as well. The thought buoyed her all the back to the docks where Rex awaited her with that dangerous smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know what's crazy? Vess is the ONLY (non-story) Rare Blade who you are guaranteed to see. She's also the only Rare Blade you can encounter in the world outside of a quest. I just found that kinda neat. 
> 
> Also I'm curious if anyone can guess what the Blade/Driver registration numbers/letters indicate.


	4. Because No One Told Me To

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first smaller chapter featuring past events or, in this case, a previous life of a Blade. I hope everyone enjoys.

Goetian 7th, 3565

Garagorm sat awkwardly eating a too small chunk of meat that had been roasted on a sharp stick. A light rain had fallen across Garanti Plain and put out their already meager fire. He sat with his cloak pulled tight against his body and the hood pulled up to keep the rain off his ears. His pack was pressed tight up against his right leg so he would notice if one of his companions tried to sneak anything out of it. That was the way of life.

Nine of them sat uncomfortably in the rain, chewing their poor catch. Their attempts to gather game hadn’t gone well and none of them knew the wilderness well enough to pick out edible fruits or vegetables. Fighting and killing was all they knew. Vaguely Garagorm remembered a time when he had been a carpenter’s apprentice, but even the thought didn’t sound right. Him? Gainfully employed? Couldn’t be. 

Nervously he looked around at his companions. When had he fallen in with this band? Years ago now. It was those bastards in the Ardainian Empire’s fault, wasn’t it? That little shit Hugo was responsible for the motley state they were in. No, that couldn’t be right. The Emperor of Mor Ardain was barely into his teen years. Couldn’t have been him. Who had it been before Hugo? Did it matter? It was the Empire’s fault for trying to take territory that wasn’t theirs. 

That was how he had fallen in with this band and the three score others that awaited in the cave system up in the hills. That was how he had...the memories were fuzzy as they flashed through his mind. There was smoke and the red of fire. The red of...the red of…

He shook the thought and the memory away. It wasn’t his fault. That was the way of life. Now here they were, struggling to find more food to avoid punishment by the rest of their so-called allies.

“What do we do if those Imperials find us?” Epel, the youngest and scrawniest of the bunch, was also the most likely to speak up. His hair was already thinning. From stress he said, but everyone knew he was hooked on pollen orbs. Wasn’t his fault either.

“I’m telling you,” said the slack jawed Partesh. “Those soldiers aren’t out here looking for us. It’s the soldiers from up White Chair way that we have to worry about.” 

Of course the Gormotti Army would be after them. Especially after...after…

It wasn’t his fault.

Epel nervously plucked at the grass between his crossed legs. “Then how come the Noble Houses are letting a bunch of Imperials run around Gormott? Huh? They’ve got to be helping look for us, right?”

“Something to do with that whole Aegis business isn’t it?” Lanath was the oldest of them. Everybody joked half heartedly that he was one light breeze away from kicking the bucket. But he was stealthy. And Garagorm had seen the way Lanath handled a spear. It had been so red that night. Of course, it wasn’t his fault either.

“Coeia and Temperentia. Both dead in less than a year. All that stuff just sounds like the end of the world. Do you think it’s true? That the Architect sent his dark messenger to punish us all?” Epel’s voice was getting even higher and more annoying. That wasn’t his fault either.

“Architect, Aegis, what does it even matter to people like us? Whether it’s the end of the world or just another war the world just keeps turning. It doesn’t care about us. We’ll die. And not a damned soul will care. Hell, they might even cheer.” Garagorm was surprised to hear his own voice. Why had he even spoken up?

Lanath grunted and raised a withered hand to point towards Garagorm. “Something strange about that bag o’ yours Garagorm.”

Garagorm reluctantly tore his gaze away from the mountains and looked down at his bag. The mountains were in the opposite direction from...from…

He set the bag in his lap and sure enough there was an unusual glow coming from inside. He undid the laces and reached in, quickly finding the source. He held it aloft as the other eight stared in awe. Clutched in his hand was a glowing blue Core Crystal. That same crystal had fallen at his feet that night all dull and sad. Like so much else that night he had taken it. After all, it was his sword that had cut down that poor Driver as she tried to run. Her Blade hadn’t even gotten a chance to fight. It wasn’t their fault. Of course, it wasn’t Garagorm’s either.

His thick fingers twisted the Core Crystal first one way and then the next, looking for some unknown secret hidden within. 

“I didn’t realize you scored a Core Crystal in that last raid Garagorm.” Epel sounded simultaneously nervous and excited.

Partesh turned and spat on the ground. “I saw it. Weren’t even a fight. Stabbed that coward Driver right in the back. What good is being a Driver if you won’t fight?”

Lanath turned and flopped onto his side. “With all that talk of us dying maybe he should try to Awaken it. They say if you ain’t got the stuff you can snuff it then and there. Waddya say Gagagorm? Do you really wanna snuff it today?”

Did he? Was that what he wanted? To die? Garagorm clutched both hands around the Core Crystal almost as if in prayer. He leaned his head down so his forehead touched part of the crystal. It was slick and cool like metal, but the rain barely seemed to touch it. Just slid right off. Didn’t even stay wet. 

_‘It’s not my fault. I just want it to not be my fault. I want...I want…’_ What did he want? What did it matter?

_‘Please, someone. I just want things to go back to how they were. I just want to be okay. I just want to wash the red away. Please. Please. Please. I just don’t want to remember!’_

The Core Crystal blazed to life in his hand and light flared out from him. His companions stumbled backwards as a burst of golden energy shot upward into the sky and then descended a few feet in front of Garagorm. Garagorm watched in astonishment as a thin saber colored blue with flowers on it appeared in his hand.

There standing in front of him was a Blade. A pretty little thing in a fancy outfit with big sleeves and these long pointed ears, much longer even than a Gormotti’s. She didn’t look too different from a Gormotti girl at that. A young slip of a thing. 

She raised a white gloved hand. Her outfit had red here and there, but those gloves were pure white. Not a drop of red. “Hi, I’m Nia. Guess you must be my Driver?”

Garagorm nodded, feeling numb. He was a Driver. Him? A Driver? Was that right? What was wrong with this sick world? That night hadn’t been the first when his sword had run red, but that night had seemed flooded with it. And out of that Garagorm got to be a Driver? What poor sense of humor did the Architect have where one person could murder a Driver and then become that Driver’s Blade.

Partesh, Garagorm noticed, seemed to be leering. He was leaned over at an odd angle. Trying to get a peek at the girl’s backside he realized. “What’s this Garagorm? This weren’t the Blade from that night, is it? Sword ain’t right neither. It were one of them common types with the grey skin and white bumps.”

That was right. And the Blade’s sword had been curved and kept in a sheathe. Now that he thought about it the Blade from that night had much smaller Gormotti-like ears and a similar small build, but everything else was so different. The Core Crystal was the same one though. Of that he was certain. “I don’t know. I don’t know anything about Blades. And you’ll keep your eyes aimed proper or I’ll make sure you don’t see a thing.”

Partesh sneered, but looked away. The Blade, Nia, twirled around and gave Partesh a glare. “Hey, I don’t know where you were looking, but don’t even think about it!”

Something about the way she talked bothered Garagorm. It was no accent he had ever heard. Strange and flat without any, what was the word? Musicality? Totally different from anyone he had ever known. “You talk funny.”

“I talk funny? That’s one of the first things my Driver says to me? Is that it?”

Garagorm nodded. “You talk like...like you’re from Indol. But not as uptight. Sounds right.”

He looked down at the piece of meat he had been eating, where it had fallen to the grass when he went to get the crystal from his bag. He hadn’t even noticed until now. Garagorm dropped the sword to the ground, reached down, plucked the stick up, and took a bite of what’s left. 

“That’s disgusting. Don’t eat stuff off the ground.” Garagorm ignored her. He hadn’t wanted this. Why had he bothered trying to awaken a core crystal?

“Oi! Put that down right now!” Garagorm dropped it almost immediately on instinct. He looked up in shock to see Nia glaring down at him, hands on her hips. That accent...she had effortlessly switched to mimicking his own Gormotti accent. 

“You...when you talk like that you…” A short Gormotti woman from his past. She would scold him in a voice so close to this girl’s and poke him with a broom when he wouldn’t do his chores.

Garagorm scowled and crossed his arms over his chest. “Sound like me damn Ma.”

“So is that what I’ve got to do? Use that accent to get you to behave like you’re anything other than a lump? Come on! Get excited! I’m a Blade! You’re a Driver! Isn’t that great?” Wasn’t it supposed to be? Garagorm wasn’t sure anymore.

“Dunno,” he said. “If it’s just getting scolded by a pint sized brat who acts like she’s me Ma then I doubt it.”

The others burst out laughing. Nia scowled and swept around, giving each of them a glare that surprisingly shut them up. “Alright!” She had switched back to the Gormotti accent seeing as it seemed to get a better response from them. She clapped her hands together loudly, drawing their attention.

“If you lot are going to make me act like the mother here then I’ll get to it.” 

“You!” She pointed in an exaggerated manner at Epel. “Quit scratching your hair! You’re already balding and you’re just making it worse. Makes you look like you’ve got lice.”

“Old timer!” Lanath quirked an eyebrow at her. “Sit up properly. At your age you probably have back problems and as a healing Blade it’s my duty to make sure you make less work for me. So sit right or I’ll kick your backside myself.”

Around the circle she went, scolding each of them in turn. Oddly it seemed that they were listening to her. Was it the commanding tone? The fact that she was a Blade and the whole situation seemed strange? That so often they were listless and would listen to anyone snapping orders? Eager for order etched from chaos. Or, more likely, because she reminded everyone present of their damned Ma?

Nia opened her mouth when she got to Garagorm, but he held up a hand to forestall her. “There’s no point. There’s no fixing us. Don’t you know what we are? Can’t you tell?”

His Blade planted one hand on her waist and leaned in with her hip. The stance was at once casual and suggestive at the same time. Or it would be if her voice didn’t remind him of his damned Ma. “If I had to guess...from the way you lot were talking, the state of your clothes, your shoddy weapons...I’d say you’re bandits.”

That was...Garagorm hadn’t expected her to realize it. Still, that wasn’t all they were. “That’s not it. You still don’t understand what we are. There’s no fixing what we are.”

“Garagorm…”, he heard one of the others say nervously. He was too focused to be able to tell which. 

“Alright then Mr. Bandit. Tell me. Tell me what you are? Tell me why you can’t be fixed?”

“Because we killed them all! We’re just murderers! Monsters!” That night was like an ocean of blood. Women. Children. It hadn’t mattered. They slashed down anyone in their path. It was like a demon had possessed them. Fires blazed in the night and bodies piled up. Nearly seventy men rampaged through that tiny town, taking everything in sight. Gold, paintings, food, metal scraps, women, and even children. Whatever they wanted and more. 

“This world is sick! We’re just part of that filth. It’s not our fault, you see? It’s just the way life is! I killed your Driver, cut her down like it was nothing. Tiny thing, couldn’t have been more than twenty. Wasn’t even a fighter. Had to be nearly a hundred people in that town and we slaughtered all but a dozen that got away. Because they had things. Because they were there. That’s why! That’s why! That’s why we can’t be fixed, don’t you see?!” It wasn’t their fault. It wasn’t their fault. It wasn’t his fault.

A hand gently touched his knee and his Ma’s voice so softly said, “But you want someone to fix it don’t you? To fix you?” 

It was only then that Garagorm realized his body was shaking uncontrollably. His face was hot and wet beneath his hood, but not from the gentle rain. They wouldn’t stop. He couldn’t stop them. Were those really his tears? “I...I…”

“It’s okay. You can tell me. I’m your Blade.” 

His thick awkward hands, hands that had shed so much bled, clutched at her pure white gloves desperately. “Please...please...help me…”

Nia smiled and patted the top of his hands, slowly pulled them free as she stood up. “Alright then, that’s settled. We’re going to start making this right. Anyone who wants to step down this path can come with me.”

The rest of them, bandits all, stared at her in a mix of shock, awe, and horror. Nia offered a hand to Garagorm and he let her drag him to his feet. 

“Where...where are you going?”, asked Epel. 

“Back to the beginning of course. To where I died.”

“That’s madness!”, cried Lanath. “If we go back to Torigoth we’ll be arrested for sure!”

“Maybe. Either way, I’m going. Will you show me the way Garagorm?”

Garagorm stared at his Blade, feeling as if he really had gone mad. Although, hadn’t he been drowning in madness for a while now? Was she the way back to the surface? Did it really matter? “Yeah. I’ll show you the way.”

Garagorm would have liked to say that the other eight followed them. That would have been a lie. He hadn’t looked back, but he was sure they had packed up camp and fled further into the wild parts of Gormott as soon as he and Nia were out of sight. On they traveled, Garagorm leading the way and Nia in near lock step with him. They didn’t speak. Garagorm wasn’t certain he could. 

Their pace was slow thanks to the rain making the grass slick and causing muddy patches that they had to go around. Garagorm remembered the way though. That small village so close to the Cloud Sea. He was certain no matter where he went in the world he would be able to point directly to it. 

Into the town they went, through a path of trees and past rows of burnt out houses built on different tiered sections as the land sloped downwards towards the Cloud Sea. He and Nia stopped when they reached the far end of the village. Someone had come back. The survivors maybe. Dozens of graves had been dug and marked with shoddy wooden gravemarkers. 

One of the gravemarkers even had a little charm draped on it. His Ma used to make things like that for him and his sister. For luck. For a better year. That sort of thing. His mother didn’t make anything anymore. Had he buried his mother like this after the Imperials had come? His sister? He could vaguely remember doing that what seemed like several lifetimes ago. 

Nia’s hand was on his shoulder. Huh? When had he fallen to his knees? When had he turned into this pathetic slob who broke down in tears so easily? He wiped his eyes hastily with his sleeve and stood back up. “What...what do we do?”

“We fix it.”

And so they set about doing just that. They hauled away kilos worth of ashes and charred wood, saving what was worth using. They scrubbed away blackened spots, aided by the water Nia created. They broke down and disposed of the dangerous damaged structures. They tended to the gravemarkers so they weren’t damaged. 

They cut wood in the forest and hauled it into town. They sawed and trimmed and cut and prepped, years of carpentry lessons flooding back into him. They placed flowers by the graves. 

Somewhere along the way people came back. Garagorm didn’t know who they were. Former villagers. Strangers. Travelers. Some soldiers from White Chair came to help. He barely spoke to them except to give instructions to those who didn’t know what to do. Nia chatted amicably with all of them and she tended to any stray wounds or aches they might have. 

Homes began to go back up. One night word came that the Tornan Titan had sunk beneath the Cloud Sea, most of its citizens gone. The Emperor of Mor Ardain was dead. The Crown Princes of Torna missing. The Aegis War was over, they said. But it didn’t matter. There was work to be done.

Block by block and cut by cut Torigoth began to take shape again. Word came that the Aegis was missing. No, the other Aegis. There had been two. Or was it only one? The Spessian military had been wiped out along with untold numbers of refugees from the Aegis War. They started planting flowers around the graves. More people came to the town. A golden eyed man with rough spun clothes and a cheerful manner came and gave the children history lessons and showed those unfamiliar how best to till a field and what crops were best. He joined in the planting and then was gone. So many strangers came and went. 

Ardainian soldiers came offering assistance and the townsfolk took the help, but only after the Ardainians left the armor and weapons at the entrance to the village. There was planting and building to be done. A silver haired man wearing a mask came and sat unmoving amongst the gravemarkers for three days and nights. Not a soul noticed him arrive or saw him leave. 

Nia took to fishing and quickly became the best in the village. She picked up the skill quickly from a few who knew how and helped teach it to others. She would go out every day and catch fish to help feed the people in town. Then she would make her rounds healing those who needed and some who insisted they didn’t. 

And then, without warning, Garagorm awoke one morning to find that there was no more work left to do. Every family that needed a home had one. There was a school. A small market area. Crops were planted and everyone knew what rotation they needed and when. Flowers bloomed in a brilliant white ring around the gravemarkers. There was even a well in the market area of tough stone and clean wooden buckets. Strangers began to come for trade, offering things that the town itself could not create. Torigoth lived again.

Uncertain of what to do, Garagorm walked out all the way to the lake where he found Nia fishing, her boots set to the side as she stood barefoot in the water up to her knees. She looked perfectly in her element with a fishing rod in hand, her long hair undone from its twintails and let loose to blow in the breeze. She had always seemed unnaturally free. “Garagorm,” she said. She always knew he was there before he said anything.

He stood awkwardly in the water next to her, the water soaking into his pants and filling his boots. It didn’t matter. “Don’t move too much Garagorm. You’ll scare the fish off.”

“Nia…” What was it he wanted to ask? What work was left to do? Was that it?

“What’s up?” She was almost too alive. Sometimes it scared him how filled with life she seemed when he always felt so empty. Oddly when he was near her he felt more full. Of life. Of energy. Almost like he could be happy. But when he got too far away that feeling would disappear like something severed. He tried to avoid her.

“How do you know if the thing you’re doing is the right thing? Not just the obvious stuff, the rest of it.” Was that why he had come here? He didn’t even know anymore. Had he ever?

Water rippled around them. Serene. Beautiful. It felt wrong to let it touch him. 

“Dunno. I guess...because no one told you to? Maybe? Does that make sense?” She looked at him, those eyes piercing into him like they always did. When was the last time she had used her normal accent? He couldn’t remember. To the villagers she was just like one of them. Had she kept it up to fit in or for his sake?

“I...think so.” There was no more work to be done? No, that couldn’t be true. There was just work that no one had told him to do yet. 

He turned and sloshed away, pausing at the edge of the water. “Thanks.”

“No problem!” She called back.

Garagorm spent the rest of the day thinking about what work there was to do that no one had told him about. Work that only he could do. Work that would fix him. That would make that night go away. On and on through the night without sleep.

The next morning, while Nia was once again out at the lake fishing, he walked to the home of the village’s unofficial leader. An older woman with grey hair that still remained brown at the fuzz around her ears. People in town wanted her to be the Mayor, but she had rejected every offer. 

Then, with her and two others present, Garagorm told them everything. About that night more than a year before. Every act, every detail, every last portion he could think of. They stood silently as he talked and talked and talked. 

“Why did you help rebuild the town?” 

“Because Nia told me to.”

“Why did you tell us all of this now?”

“Because no one told me to.”

They deliberated and then they marched him to the back of town, away from where the children played. At the beginning of where they were preparing new farm land. They set up a heavy log between two stands that were the beginnings of building frames. They slung rope over the top and fitted it around his neck. 

As he dropped he realized with wondrous clarity. _‘Oh. It was my fault.’_

Far away, out toward the middle of the lake, a Core Crystal, now dim and lifeless, dropped into the water. Ripples spread. Then it was peaceful again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little different in tone than previous chapters, but I hope everyone enjoyed nonetheless. Expect future scattered chapters like this, although they won't all be this same type of tone.


	5. A Bolt from the Blue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now back to our regularly scheduled story.

Rex stepped back and wiped the sweat from his brow with his forearm. Letting out a deep breath he admired his handiwork. The extension was complete. He had built it with three sections of metal slides. One on each side to act like doors and a longer one on the top that could be dragged all the way down to act as both roof and third wall. 

The curtain was installed to separate the two miniature rooms and all his tests showed that the structure was securely in place. “Alright! Only thing left for it is to have Nia pick out a bed and see if she wants anything for her room. Waddya think?”

Gramps turned his head to look nearly backwards at Rex. “Well what I can see seems like good craftsmanship. You’ll just have to ask the lady yourself. You are her Driver after all. Against my better judgment.”

“Try whispering that last part next time Gramps. Makes you sound like you’re holding a grudge.”

“Me?” Gramps said, faking an afronted tone. “Not once in thirteen hundred years of life have I ever held a grudge. Why they once voted me `Least Likely To Hold A Grudge’.”

“That definitely sounds fake.”

“It is not!” 

“Well I’m to go find Nia. She’s probably spending time with Vess again. I bet if I get out there quick enough I might finally have the chance to have dinner with them like Nia wanted.” Rex grabbed his salvaging vest from where it rested and pulled it on. His clothes always looked incomplete without that part on. After a moment of thought he left his anchor shot and gloves lying where they were.

Rex hopped down from Gramps’ back onto the dock and waved. “I’ll see you later Gramps!”

“Rex!”

He paused. “Yeah?”

“Have you considered how to handle things when it’s Nia’s turn to bathe herself?” 

Rex hastily waved away any images that threatened to form in his head. “Oh stuff it Gramps!” He took off towards the stairs, ignoring Gramps’ teasing laughter.

\----------------------

While Rex didn’t know exactly where Vess lived, Nia had helpfully pointed out where to head. Once he reached the market he turned left into one of the residential areas and kept walking. He kept an eye on the buildings to his right, looking for a wall with a mural on it. 

Sure enough after a few minutes he spotted the mural. There were children playing in the area and even an older man sketching the mural. “Oi! Rex!”

He looked to the left and saw Nia waving enthusiastically to him from the front porch of a large house. Rex jogged off towards her and saw that the other Blade Nia had described was sitting at a table with an old grey haired man with a receding hairline and a neatly trimmed beard. “Hello!”

The old man, who had to be Mabon, looked up from where he was munching on some sort of dark brown treat and gave Rex a calm nod. “So, you must be Rex.”

“Yep. Mabon, right?” 

Mabon nodded once again and, after a moment’s hesitation, broke off a hunk of whatever he was eating and offered it to Rex. “Chocolit?”

Rex shrugged and accepted the chocolit. He had heard of it, but never had the opportunity to try it. Before eating it he turned and smiled at Mabon’s Blade. “And you’re Vess, right? Nia told me how nice you’ve been to her. I really appreciate it.”

Vess put a hand to her cheek and smiled serenely. “My, aren’t you sweet. My Driver is more the bitter type.”

“I’m not bitter. Just old.” There was no animosity in their voices. Just the relaxed teasing of two people who were comfortable with each other.

“The two are much the same.” She reached out and patted him on the head like he was a child. Nia snickered and Rex munched down on the chocolit to avoid doing the same. Huh, it was surprisingly bitter. 

Vess beckoned for him to join them and he came up onto the porch and leaned against one of the support poles. “So, dear, are you going to be able to join us for dinner tonight?”

“If you’ll still have me. I’ve got everything finished up. Just need to have Nia pick out a bed and maybe a few other things for her room and we’re all set.” 

Vess clapped her hands together and smiled beatifically. “If it’s a bed you need Mabon and I have two spare ones that aren’t used anymore. They belonged to his children, but they’re both grown and off on their own these days. Do you think you’d mind Mabon?”

“Beds are still in good shape. If these two want one of them it doesn’t bother me a bit. Especially if Nia is the one who needs it.” There was something in Mabon’s tone that Rex couldn’t quite place.

“Aw, thanks!” Nia reached out and patted Mabon on the head much like Vess had. The old man brushed her hand away and glowered, sending both women into titters. 

“So, how long did you two know the old Nia for?” Vess and Mabon exchanged inscrutable looks.

Vess looked to Nia. “How much would you actually like to know dear?” When she saw Rex’s confusion she clarified. “Some Blades want to know all about their past selves, even going so far as trying to keep journals or scrapbooks. Others though don’t want their old selves to influence their current lives. I just want to respect what Nia wants.”

Oh. That made sense. He hadn’t thought of that. “Sorry, I didn’t realize.”

Nia shrugged. “It’s okay. Doesn’t bother me. Maybe you could say just the basics? I don’t really need to know the details. I can stop you if it feels weird to hear.”

Vess gently touched Nia’s shoulder. “I understand dear. Well, I’ll keep it simple then. For this version of me this is the second Nia I’ve known. The first one I knew for a little over two decades. The previous me was close to the Nia before that, although of course I don’t remember it.”

Mabon scratched his beard. “Third Nia for me. It was that first one I met, back when I was just a child...well she gave me Vess’ Core Crystal. Told me to take care of the person inside. If it weren’t for that, well a lot of my life would be different. Awakened Vess when I was young, not much different in age from Rex.”

He leaned back in his chair, chewing his chocolit slowly. “Became a bit of an adventurer for a while. Traveled the world. Eventually I settled down with a girl I was sweet on. When she passed, well Vess helped take care of the kids. And me. We met the previous Nia around then. She would come by every so often to chat with me and Vess. Never stayed long, but she was a sweet thing. Played with the kids. Called it practice for…”

Mabon trailed off. “Well I guess it doesn’t matter. Anyway, I didn’t know her for much longer than Vess. Just at different times. It was probably nice for Vess to see another Blade. There’s never been as many Blades in Gormott as there were when I was a lad. Not since the war.”

Nia kicked the wooden floor lightly with a foot. “Lemme guess. The Empire just scooped the Core Crystals from Gormotti Drivers they killed. Like they were spoils of war.”

“Got it in one,” said Mabon. “Although I wouldn’t point that anger specifically at Mor Ardain. Whether it’s right or not the truth is that Core Crystals change sides with war. It’s common practice. Some get returned by the decree of Indol to their country of origin. By treaty they control how many Core Crystals can be in any country’s possession at a time. Not the number Awakened though. That’s up to the country’s Drivers.”

Rex crossed his arms and tilted his head back a little. “That’s awful. So even the nations themselves treat Blades like they’re tools of war?”

“Maybe not specifically tools of war. Weapons at least. You’re a Driver so you’ve experienced it right? The difference in power that a Driver and Blade wield compared to a normal soldier?” Rex grimaced. 

Vess put a hand on her Driver’s shoulders. “It’s unfortunate, but it’s just the way of things. I don’t think of it as any different from a national draft. When it comes time for war the nations treat their citizens like weapons as much as they do Blades.”

As always it came back to war. It was humans going to war that caused the problems. “Doesn’t make it right.”

“No,” said Vess. “But without the wars I wouldn’t have ended up at Mabon’s side. And my life has been wonderful. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

There were a few moments of awkward silence until Nia spoke. “So...we were going to be having dinner? Pretty sure Mabon shoveling chocolit down his gob doesn’t count.”

“Hey, watch it!” Nia stuck her tongue out at the old man.

Vess smiled it in that calming manner she had. “Of course. I’ll start preparing everything now. After dinner Nia can test out our spare beds and see if she wants one of them.”

Mabon looked over at his Blade. “What’s for dinner?”

“Guess.”

“Dumplings?”

“Perfect guess!” With that Vess stood and walked towards the other side of the house. 

Nia took Vess’ now unoccupied chair and Rex moved to stand a little closer. “So...how did you know it would be dumplings?”

“It’s always dumplings kid.”

\---------------

Dinner was tasty and the conversation was pleasant. When all was said and done Nia had ended up taking one of the beds, which the two of them carried all the way to the docks and foisted up onto Gramps’ back. Rex put together the metal frame that Vess and Mabon had provided and then they set the bed on the frame. 

Deciding that now was the best time to try it out they went back to the inn, collected the last of Rex’s things including the salvage from his last job, and checked out. That was Nia’s first night in her new room.

The next morning Nia had Rex measure the space under the bottom of the metal frame as well as available space around it. Then they went into town so she could painstakingly pick out storage boxes that would fit under the bed and a set of heavy shelves that would fit in the space she had. 

When they got back Rex spent some time setting up secure blocks that would keep the shelves and boxes from sliding around while the old Titan was in motion. The whole process ended up taking most of the day so they had dinner with Vess and Mabon, then said their goodbyes. On the morrow they would head out onto the Cloud Sea and head for Argentum.

On their way back from dinner Nia bought a few other sets of clothes including a foldable poncho for rain. She even picked up a few books to start filling out the shelves. When they were returning to Gramps Rex realized she had one more book than he had counted her buying. “Say, I just noticed, but...where did you get that other book?”

Nia glanced down at the books under her arm. “This? Vess gave it to me. She kept trying to get me to take it and finally wore me down tonight since we were leaving. I felt bad taking it, but she insisted. Apparently it originally belonged to the Nia two before me. The one who gave Vess’ Core Crystal to Mabon.”

“Oh. Is it confusing?” 

“What? Keeping track of past ‘me’s’?”

“Yeah.”

“Mmm, a little. I try not to think about it too much. Feels weird.”

“So...what’s the book about?” In response Nia untucked it from her arm and passed it over.

He read the title aloud. “A Moment of Eternity by Nonpareil.” 

Rex flipped the book open at random and tried to read a little as they walked. It was more awkward to do than he had expected. Speaking of awkward. “It’s just...poetry. The really weepy type. At least, that’s what it seems like.”

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure that old me had awful taste. Vess said it was a book written for Blades and that only Blades could understand it, but honestly a lot of it feels a little too obtuse.” Rex handed the book back to her. 

“What kind of name is Nonpareil anyway? I guess if it was written for Blades the author was probably a Blade, don’t you think?” Nia shrugged.

“Beats me. I’ll put it on the shelf anyway. For Vess’ sake. If I could go back in time I’d tell the old me to spend her money better.” They shared a laugh and continued on their way.

\----------------

First thing in the morning Gramps set out to sea, taking it at his usual relaxed pace. After they ate breakfast Nia was shocked to learn that the return trip was going to take four days. “It took less time for him to get to Gormott! What’s the deal with that?”

“Now Nia, I’m an old man. I’m not a speed boat. This time of year Argentum and Gormott are moving apart from each other. And that means this second trip is a farther distance. Surely you’re not trying to give this old man a heart attack?” 

“Wha? I wasn’t doing anything of the sort!”

From where he was fishing off the side of Azurda’s back Rex said, “Don’t let him bother you Nia. I know for a fact that he has more than one heart.”

“And what does that have to do with anything? A heart attack would still be quite painful for me!”

Nia looked up at the Titan. “How many?”

“What?”

“How many hearts have you got?”

“Just the two. Although one isn’t what most people think of when you say ‘heart’.” 

Nia paused to consider that. “So, what does it mean?”

“Oh hey, I’ve got a bite!” Rex started reeling something in, distracting Nia. She wandered over to the side to watch as Rex struggled to draw in whatever was on the end of his hook.

She leaned a bit over the side and saw a large fish shifting in and out of the white of the Cloud Sea. Casually she extended a hand and manipulated the ambient ether. The water below swirled and condensed around the fish. With a flick of her wrist she lifted the bubble out of the water with Rex’s fishing line still attached, floated it to Azurda’s back, and then let the bubble pop. Water and the fish splashed down onto the Titan’s back.

Rex stared in astonishment. “W...what? You could have done that whenever?”

“Hmm? Sure. I’m a water element Blade.” She tried to keep the smugness out of her voice. Well, maybe she didn’t try that hard.

Rex quickly unhooked the fish and tossed it still squirming into a bucket. “How come you didn’t say something earlier? I spent like thirty minutes trying to catch something. You know it’s much harder while we’re still moving.”

“I thought you were doing it for fun so I didn’t want to get in the way.” While barely paying attention she swept another fish out of the water with a smaller bubble of water and put it into the bucket with the first.

Rex opened and closed his mouth several times. “I was trying to catch us lunch! If you thought I was just doing it to relax then why’d you do it?”

“Seemed funny in the moment.”

\-------------

That evening Rex finally set to sorting through the salvaged storage box from his last job. He had been so busy that he kept forgetting about it. Once it was finally time to take care of it he realized there was a chance that something inside would be a reminder of Nia’s past life. Hopefully nothing that would be upsetting to her. Thankfully Nia was currently occupied lounging at the top of the crane. She said she enjoyed the breeze up there.

Carefully he released the reinforced plating he had applied to it to keep it from coming apart on the ascent. The box turned out to be locked so he applied a bit of brute force in the form of a crowbar. Once it was open he looked inside and found...partially rotted clothes. 

Rex set about sorting through the clothes, setting aside anything that was in bad shape so it could be disposed of at Argentum. Everything was carefully folded in multiple layers. Piece by piece he took it all out until he stumbled across two items that had been hidden beneath the clothes. 

He took a step back and stared down at the two pieces. One of them was a framed photograph and the other...was a glowing Core Crystal. “No way…”

Rex leaned down and picked up the photograph, leaving the Core Crystal where it was for the time being. The photo depicted what he could only think of as a happy family, if a non-traditional one. Not that he was one to talk.

There were two adult Gormotti, a man and a woman, each looking somewhere between their late twenties and early thirties. They were dressed in fancy expensive looking clothes and were linked arm in arm. The woman had a warm smile and her left hand rested on the head of a massive beast-like Blade like a huge cat with white fur and black stripes. Sitting on the beast Blade’s neck, clutching at it for support and smiling in the manic way only a child could was a young Gormotti girl. A toddler from the look of her.

And there, to the man’s right with his hand on her shoulder, was Nia. She looked so at ease. She looked happy. 

Rex looked from the photograph up to where Nia sat far above on the crane. Then he looked back down at the Core Crystal. Surely it was the Blade depicted in the photograph, but if it had been placed in that box then the Blade couldn’t have been alive during Nia’s final moments. So who was the Blade’s Driver? The woman maybe? What had happened to her? He flinched as another thought hit me. The child...what had happened to the child?

Cautiously he called out to Nia, asking her to come down. He told her there were two things she might want to see, but gave her warning that one of them had to do with her past life. After a brief hesitation she decided to take a look.

Rex watched Nia look over the photograph with a lump in his throat. Would she remember anything? Could she? He realized he wasn’t sure how total a Blade’s memory loss was. Could they gain it back? Even just a little? From the way Nia and Vess talked it didn’t seem like it, but what did he know?

Nia’s expression was neutral as she gazed at the photograph. Finally she passed it back to Rex. “Well, it looks like the old me was happy. I’m glad. Something Vess said made me assume that the old me had a kid running around at home. I hope I was a good babysitter.”

The tension melted away from Rex. She wasn’t upset. Trying to bring some extra cheer to the situation he said, “With those ears and hair you could almost pass as her big sister.”

Nia raised an eyebrow at him. “Only an idiot who had never seen a Gormotti before would think I was one, even if I covered up my core.”

“Still though.” He hesitated and then said, “Do you...remember any of it?”

She shook her head. “Not even a little. I feel a sense of familiarity when I look at the picture, but that’s it. I couldn’t begin to guess at any of their names or personalities. It’s strange to see myself in a photo and feel like I’m looking at a stranger. I still think she had bad taste in poetry though.”

Rex laughed and Nia joined him. Then, finally, Rex reached into the box and held the Core Crystal out to her. “This was in there as well. Do you think it’s the same Blade in the photo?”

She held it in her hand and gently brushed the surface with her fingertips. “Dunno. Most likely.”

“So...how do you figure out if someone has the aptitude to become a Driver? I don’t want anyone to get hurt, but I want to make sure the Blade has a Driver that will treat it right. You know?” Nia blinked in confusion at his words.

“Wha? If that’s what you want, then why don’t you just resonate with it yourself?”

“Huh? But...I’m already a Driver!”

Nia slapped her free hand to her forehead. “Ugh, sometimes I forget how little you know about Blades and Drivers. Did you think a Driver could only resonate with a single Blade?”

“Well...yeah. A bit.” 

Gramps’ voice boomed from up above them. “It’s actually not uncommon for a Driver to have more than one Blade. It helps them cover a variety of situations.”

“Woah...I didn’t realize.”

“So, Rex, you plan on Awakening a second Blade?” Nia looked at Rex expectantly and held the Core Crystal out to him. 

He took it from her and looked at it carefully, his heart warring with different emotions. “I...want to, but...I dunno if I should. Argh, I feel like a bloody hypocrite, but if I’m realistic I don’t think I can.”

Nia didn’t seem upset like he was expecting. “Sa’ll right. That’s about what I was expecting. I didn’t want to dissuade you, but it’s probably not the best idea right now, is it?”

“No...there’s not enough room on Gramps’ back to expand again and my income isn’t big enough to cover another person. But maybe if I start making more money from other jobs I could...argh…”. He clenched the crystal in his hand and rubbed the other roughly into his hair.

“Damn it! I feel like a bloody arse right now! Waddya think Nia? I hate to do it, but it might be time to buckle down and start setting money aside to get an actual boat. If I get enough I could have more room for us and enough space for another Blade. Do you...think that’s okay?”

Nia reached out and poked him in the forehead. “Course it’s okay ya idiot. I’ll help make sure you save up enough to make it happen. With me around I bet you can make a ton more cash. So, is it a plan?”

Rex grinned and thrust his free hand out toward her. “It’s a deal!” She grasped his hand and they shook on it.

Azurda chimed in. “Surely you won’t be abandoning me just for a fancy boat?”

“Come on Gramps, you’re more than welcome to stick around even after I get a new ride! You know me, if I could stay rent free I would. Course you’re free to return to Fonsett when that happens, but I’d be happy to have you around.”

“What a kind child I raised.”

Rex chuckled. “O’course! It’s part of Rule Five of the Salvager’s Code. Always be~”

Nia placed a hand over his mouth. “Enough of those. You were sounding real cool up until then.”

When she released her hand Rex pouted. “The Salvager’s Code is cool. Come on, lemme teach it to you!”

“No thanks.”

“It’ll be great! They’re excellent rules to live by even if you’re not a salvager. Well, maybe not all of them. But most! Oh, Rule Two is a classic.” He opened his mouth to continue, but Nia started humming loudly and walked back towards the crane.

“Hey! That’s rude! Come on! Just one more, okay? Nia? Nia?”

\--------------------------------

The second night of their journey found Rex and Nia laying next to each other on the flattest portion of Azurda’s back. They had their hands behind their heads and were staring up at the starry sky. The night was just the right level of cool without being uncomfortable. 

For the last twenty minutes Rex had been cheerfully pointing out constellations to Nia and telling her stories about them. Sometimes she could see the shapes he described, but for some it just seemed like nonsense that someone made up. 

“So how’d you end up learning all this stuff?”, she asked.

“Honestly? It’s something I learned when getting my salvager’s license. If you’re ever on the Cloud Sea and your equipment breaks or you don’t have it you can use the stars to navigate. The stories...well that’s just something other salvagers like to talk about.”

“Didn’t sound like the sort of thing they’d teach in school.”

“Never went to anything like that. Fonsett never had a school.” Nia turned her head to look at Rex. His eyes remained fixed on the sky. 

“So your education...it’s just from Gramps and your Aunt Corinne then?” That would make a lot of sense.

“That and what I had to learn to become a salvager. There actually is a building that was a school in Fonsett, but there hasn’t been anyone to teach there in a long time. Never bothered me.”

Nia considered for a moment if she should ask the questions she had been wanting to for a while. The answer was yes. Rex was her Driver. More importantly he was a good person. She wouldn’t push, but she did want to know more about him. “Rex...have you got any parents?”

“Nah. Auntie Corinne and Gramps raised me. I guess all the people in Fonsett Village did in one way or another. Gramps more than the rest. I guess I was a bit of a handful.” There was no hint of hesitation or sadness in his voice. Just honesty.

“Was it too much? Me asking about that?” She twisted so that she was laying on her side, looking directly at him.

“Don’t worry about it. I don’t even remember them. Besides, it’s not like I was hiding it. Gramps was the best parent a kid could have wanted. How many people can say they were raised by a fire breathing Titan?” Nia could see the wide grin on his face even from this angle.

_‘Wait, did he say fire breathing?’_ She shook the thought away. It wasn’t really relevant for the moment. Although...fire breathing? Really?

“So why’d you leave when you were so young? Why become a salvager out on the Cloud Sea?” Rex talked so much about salvaging. He clearly enjoyed it and had a passion for the topic, but when Mabon had asked Rex about salvaging the young man had said he was in it for the cash. 

“Seemed like the right thing to do. Took some doing, convincing everyone. Most of the kids Auntie Corinne raises leave when they’re about the age I am now. But I figured I could get started early. There’s good money in salvaging you know.”

“If it was just about the money why wouldn’t you salvage parts that can be used by the military? You said you wouldn’t when you were talking to Avacin.”

Rex sat up suddenly and looked out into the distance. “Honestly?”

“Of course.”

One of Rex’s arms raised up and he pointed. Nia pushed herself up so that she could follow his gaze and where he was pointing. It didn’t take a bit of effort to figure it out. Almost straight behind them was the colossal mass of the World Tree, stretching from the Cloud Sea into the sky far above where they could see. “The World Tree? What’s salvaging got to do with the World Tree?”

There was an eagerness in Rex’s voice. Yet Nia’s ears also picked up a hint of sadness. “Nothing. Everything I suppose. You know, you find all sorts of things digging through salvage. Some of it trash,” he turned his head to look at her. “Some of it treasure. But all of it from people long gone. Bit by bit the Titans are dying off. Living space is shrinking, you know?”

“One day they’ll all be gone and we’ll be the ones to sink beneath the Cloud Sea. We’ll leave behind nothing but salvage for the next generation. But up there…”, his gaze once again turned to the World Tree.

“Elysium is waiting for us. If there’s a way or a path or something...some method to get up there, I can only imagine that it’s deep below the clouds. If the stories are true, if the Architect really did cast us out...then he’s waiting up there as well. And I can’t help but believe that if the Architect didn’t want us making our way back he wouldn’t have sent the Titans.”

Rex’s gaze moved to Azurda’s lowered head. The Titan had been sleeping for a while. “The Titans support us. They take care of us. But it’s up to us to take the next step. Up there is a path for everyone to have peace and security.”

Nia stood and walked over to the crane, leaning against it as she looked up at the World Tree. Elysium eh? It was there, in her head. The stories. Just stories. But Rex…

“People usually laugh at me when I tell ‘em. I don’t mind. Not really.”

“Rex...maybe it’s just a lie. Maybe the World Tree is just what it looks like. The world’s biggest shrub. Maybe. But even so...I’m not gonna laugh at your dream Rex.”

\--------------

Upon their arrival in Argentum Rex marched them right towards what he called the Central Exchange. As they went he was forced to stop several times as someone greeted him and asked about Nia. The more times it happened, with different individuals being shocked and excited to discover that Rex was now a Driver, the more Nia realized that her Driver was actually pretty well known in the trade guild. Seemed pretty well liked too.

Hirkham at the dock was impressed and covertly asked Nia to make sure Rex paid his dock fees in a timely fashion. Several of the local salvagers teased Rex by telling him things like how it turned out he had good taste in women. Nia tried not to let it get out of hand, but it was a little funny. 

The Nopon woman at the Central Exchange, Melolo, preened at Rex almost like a proud parent. She remarked how her littlepon would never amount to anything, especially not a Driver. She also insisted that Nia make sure to take good care of Rex. Once Rex managed to push his way past her comments he produced a bag full of gold and set it on the counter.

“I got a good haul recently and I wanted to send this the usual way. Later when I’ve had the chance to run the numbers I’m going to need to change the percentage I send from here on out. Gotta cover for two people now and, well, there’s something big I need to save for.”

“Rex saving for ring?” 

“Oh come on! None of that Melolo. If you need to know, I’m going to have to save up to buy a boat. Gramps doesn’t have as much room as I’m going to need.” Despite trying to hide it, Nia could see the blush on his cheeks and hear the embarrassment in his voice. 

“Rex need room for littlepon of his own?” Nia bit back a laugh. Sly little Nopon this one.

“Ugh, I’m leaving. I’ll let you know when I figure out the new percentage, okay?” Rex turned to leave, planting his hands on his hips and shaking his head in frustration. Nia waved cheerily at the Nopon as she went to join Rex. The Nopon’s responding smile and wave were almost a little too cheeky for Nia’s tastes.

“So, Rex. Where were you sending money? Sounded like a normal thing for you.” There had been no confusion on Melolo’s part so it was clearly business as usual for Rex. 

“Hmm? Oh, that. I send most of what I earn back home to Fonsett. They need it more than I ever could. Honestly I feel a little bad that with saving money for a boat I might not be able to send as much as I usually can.” 

He what? “Rex...how much do you usually send home?” 

“Depends on the haul. Anywhere from sixty to ninety percent. Give or take. I’ve got to keep enough for operational costs and living expenses, but the rest I don’t need. I live pretty cheap after all.” He was so casual about it. Like he wasn’t admitting to being almost obnoxiously philanthropic. Knowing Rex he really did think it was normal.

_‘Jeez, this guy I swear…’_

He turned to her as they walked. “Hey, do you wanna grab some grub? Argentum’s got some pretty good food.”

“Sounds good.”

\--------------------

As Rex happily chatted away their waitress refilled their drinks. The waitress, an attractive Urayan girl with light blue hair in her late teens, smiled fetchingly at Rex. The boy, oblivious as he was, didn’t seem to notice the real meaning. He just paused momentarily to smile back and thank her for the refill. Nia could see the girl’s reaction to that damned smile of his. 

As the waitress walked away she shot Nia a brief glare before turning her head away in a huff. Nia bit back a sigh. “You can be a bit dense at times Rex.”

He paused. “Huh? What did I do?”

“Nothing, don’t worry about it. What were you saying?” She wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing how oblivious he was. That waitress knew him by name and had seemed happy when she saw him take a seat. A lot of that happiness had definitely faded when the girl saw Nia. 

_‘I didn’t even do anything. Sheesh.’_

“Well I was thinking one of the best ways to start making more money would be to get my Class B license. If I do, the types of jobs I can get hired for are much better money. Also makes it easier for me to do jobs for other trade guilds.” He took a sip of his tea and then fanned his mouth. A little too hot apparently. He leaned forward to blow on the tea.

For her part Nia cautiously sipped at her juice. Didn’t taste different or odd. Not that she thought that waitress would do anything weird, but it didn’t hurt to be careful. “So what do you need to get your Class B?”

“Well a salvager starts at Class E and after ten jobs accompanied by a Class C or higher salvager they can get their Class D. Class C, which is where I’m at, requires that you be licensed for three years and have done at least fifty jobs. I got my Class C a little over a year ago.” Rex always seemed so excited whenever he talked about salvaging. Hearing him explain certain aspects of the profession made her assume this was what it felt like for him when she taught him things about Drivers and Blades.

“Class B is a little different. You can technically get your Class B at any time after getting your Class C, but you have to participate in ten large scale jobs. Ones that involve at least a dozen or more salvagers, one of which has to be a Class B or A. I’ve done nine so far, but it’s not like they come up very often. And most of the time it’s the people who are already Class B who get hired for those.”

“Sounds frustrating. So you just need to do one more big job?” Huh. When had she finished her juice? It had been super tasty though. 

Rex took a big gulp of his tea, no longer seeming bothered by the temperature. “Most of those I got pretty soon after getting my Class C. There was a batch of really big salvage missions that were part of a joint effort between the Argentum and Nardron Trade Guilds. Stuff like that doesn’t happen very often.”

“Plus, a lot of the bigger jobs these days are aimed at gathering parts from downed battleships. Basically salvage for merchandise useful for war. I try to avoid those. As a result I’ve been stuck at nine jobs for a while now.”

“So what happens when you hit ten? Do you just like, submit a form, and then bam! You’re Class B and people pay you more?” After a second’s thought she waved cheerily to the waitress so that she could get another refill. Maybe the girl wouldn’t be too annoyed. It’s not like Nia was going out of her way to antagonize the girl.

“Well the form part is right. The big difference is that when you’re Class C you typically have what they call a Partial Contract with a specific Trade Guild. It means a certain percentage of your salvaging jobs and trades have to go through that guild. Argentum is the biggest, so having a partial contract here isn’t too bad. But when you’re Class B you’ve got an open contract so you can operate with any trade guilds. Seriously opens up your opportunities.”

The waitress came by and topped off Nia’s drink. Nia made a note to tip well. That might smooth things over. “Class B and A are also Salvage Masters so they can actually lead big jobs. Whoever gets put in charge of a big job gets the largest percentage of whatever the take is, not counting the guild of course. It can lead to a huge income increase. That’s why it’ll really help save money for a boat.”

“What happens when you become Class A?” Had the waitress undone an extra button on her blouse before coming back over? Poor girl. Rex hadn’t even noticed. 

“Mmmm, I don’t know a lot. There’s maybe a half dozen Class A licensees bouncing around right now. I know the process, but I’ve never talked to a Class A before so I don’t know how much it changes your income. People call them Salvagers of Special Distinction. I think it mostly makes you more famous which I guess would make it easier to get special jobs. The way I hear it none of the Class As are younger than fifty. Way too far out for me to worry about.” Rex tilted his cup back and downed the last of his tea.

“So if Class B is what needs to happen, how do we go about finding you that job?” Nia wouldn’t mind having another Blade around once they had that boat. On the other hand it was nice having her Driver just to herself for a while. The Blade in that picture had looked soft and fuzzy though. It’d probably be super snuggly. Unless it was a Blade with a mean personality. Ugh, she hadn’t considered that. 

A beast-form Blade like that was probably poor tempered. The kind to get angry at the drop of a hat, but whose scary attitude made for an excellent guard. Well, maybe not. The Blade had tolerated a toddler clinging to it. Still, it was hard to get the image out of her head of a rough talking Blade who turned to pudding when exposed to a small child. She put a hand surreptitiously over her mouth to hide a budding snicker. 

“Hard to say,” Rex said. “Networking isn’t really something I’m good at. I’m in and out of Argentum so frequently, but I never get much opportunity to stick around. Got to keep salvaging to earn that cash.”

He rubbed his chin in thought. “I’m hoping that having a Blade will make people more eager to hire me. It does seem like Drivers are more popular and in higher demand. Maybe that’ll translate to extra work. We might need to do some more Driver-Blade style work here and there for practice and to get our names out there. Not really sure how it works.”

Nia paused before responding. She could hear something odd going on at the level below. Some kind of disturbance. Her ears swiveled a little to better catch the noise. “Hold on a sec. Something is happening down there.”

“Huh? How do you know?” Oh, right. Her hearing hadn’t really come up. She’d have to explain later.

“There are people complaining. Some people sound scared. We might want to take a look.” She stood up from the table and Rex joined her as they leaned over the railing to look down at the bottom level. 

Sure enough there was something unusual going on. A handful of tall figures were taking up spots at the entrances to the Return Dock and Exit Dock. They wore long white robes with golden shoulder guards and chest plates. Their faces were covered by masks and they each held some sort of fancy long golden staff. 

A few Nopon were arguing with them, although with so many other people speaking Nia couldn’t make out their distinct voices. Six of the strange individuals took up positions at each dock entrance, their staffs planted firmly against the ground. They were blocking the path in and out. 

“Is that...the Praetorian Guard?”, she heard someone nearby whisper. What the heck was the Praetorian Guard? Her innate knowledge told her nothing, but from the sound of it they must have something to do with the Praetorium, the ruling body of Indol.

Rex tapped her on the shoulder and pointed up. When she looked she saw that a pair of those some robed people had taken up guard positions at the top of the stairs. He looked just as confused as she felt. 

Her ears picked up some new activity and she looked back down to the Central Exchange. “Rex, look.”

Two new individuals had entered from the way of the Return Dock. They each wore long dark brown hooded cloaks and one of the two was distinctly taller than the other. The taller one paused to speak to one of the arguing Nopon and held out a piece of paper. There was a pause and then the Nopon pointed up towards the upper levels. The tall cloaked figure tucked the paper back up its sleeve and the two headed for the stairs. People backed away to make room for them. 

“Rex, is something bad going on?” She established an affinity link for them in case there was about to be trouble. 

“I don’t know. I’ve seen arguments pop up between mercenary groups here before and even a few tussles between soldiers from Uraya and Mor Ardain, but never anything like this. Whoever they are they should be glad the Chairman is away on business. There’s no way he’d put up with this sorta thing.” Nia noticed with slight amusement that Rex had instinctively raised his right hand when she opened the link between them. 

The two individuals were stopped midway up the stairs by a small Nopon flanked by a pair of armed men. “Hey, that’s Pupunin,” said Rex.

There was a tense minute as the Nopon Pupunin talked to the two strange people, but after a bit of discussion (and the exchange of what looked like a bag of gold) the two were allowed to proceed. Up the two came, making the loop until they reached the third level and Rumbletum Canteen. Nia and Rex turned so they could watch the cloaked individuals. The two made their way to talk to the owner of the canteen and then to the proprietor of the inn. 

Staff from the inn and canteen began to go from table to table, ushering people out and down the stairs. The same went for some of those staying at the inn who came out, looking frazzled. Recognizing a pattern Rex and Nia started to make their way to the stairs to clear out. 

Their waitress, the Urayan girl, came up to them before they could leave. “Ummm, Rex. They asked that the two of you stay. If that’s okay.”

Rex blinked in surprise. “Uh, okay I guess. Is everything alright?”

“I’m sorry, I don’t know what’s going on. I have to go though. I hope everything turns out okay.” She turned to go, but Nia caught her by the sleeve.

“In case we don’t get the chance later.” Nia then pressed the gold for their meal, and a nice tip, into the girl’s hands. 

The Urayan girl stared at the gold and then at Nia, silent for several seconds. “Thanks. You make sure to take care of him, okay?” Nia nodded to her with determination in her eyes.

As their waitress left Rex looked to Nia. “Sheesh, does nobody think I can take care of myself?”

_‘One of these days that obliviousness is going to come back and bite you.’_ , she thought.

It took several minutes, but eventually the canteen and then inn were cleared of both guests and staff. Once everyone but Rex, Nia, and the two strangers was gone the two cloaked people motioned towards a table at the center of the canteen. 

Cautiously Rex and Nia approached, taking seats across from the two. Nia made sure to maintain their affinity link. Once they were seated the taller of the two spoke in a deep voice. “Rex and Nia, right?”

They nodded. To their surprise the man under the hood chuckled. “Good, everything is going according to plan. Allow us to introduce ourselves.”

Suddenly the man swept a hand up and threw back his hood, with the smaller figure doing so in perfect unison. “I am Zeke von Genbu, Bringer of Chaos! Mostly known as Zeke, but also called The Zekenator!”

Rex and Nia stared at the man, blank-faced. He had a handsome face framed by messy dark grey hair and one of his eyes was covered by an eyepatch. Was that...a turtle design on the eyepatch?

The man, Zeke, gestured dramatically to the woman at his side. She leaned back, folding her arms across her chest, her head tilted slightly, a confident smirk playing across her face. She wore glasses that gleamed against the light, had pointed ears, shockingly green hair, and a tiny hat with what appeared to be a lightbulb on it perched jauntily atop her head. “Behold my Blade! Pandoria!”

Rex blinked, scratched his chin, and then said, “Uh...hi.”

“What? Just hi? Is that all I, the mighty Zeke von Genbu, gets? Truly you must be a no-mark rinky dink Driver if you fail to recognize my name!” He leaned back to gesture dramatically towards them, pointing a finger almost right in Rex’s face.

Nia let out a big sigh and planted her elbows on the table so she could lean forward. “Look, we’re not looking to play around with a walking eyepatch and lightbulb. D’you mind telling us what’s with all the dramatics? You cleared out businesses just to pester us did you?”

“Walking eyepatch?!” Zeke screeched at the same time his Blade, Pandoria, said “Lightbulb?!”

Pandoria nudged Zeke with her elbow. “If she’s that rude maybe she really is one? What do you think?”

“I’M RUDE?” These people were getting on Nia’s nerves. 

Rex stretched out his arms between them, gesturing placatingly. “Let’s all calm down! Come on, just tell us what’s going on. All the dramatics with the guards and then this...we’ve got no idea what’s happening. Just fill us in, okay?”

“Ah yes indeed,” declared Zeke. “I imagine you’re quite curious why someone as illustrious as myself is here before you on this day. We definitely didn’t go to Torigoth first looking for you and then have to rush her by airship after finding out you had already departed, thus putting the Praetorian Guard at high tension. Certainly not!”

“Uh...yeah. Sure.” Rex was beginning to look almost as annoyed as Nia felt. 

“Now, as to why we’re here...the matter is quite simple. You see...we’re here along with the Praetorian Guard to ascertain whether Nia here is a Blade you Awakened or if she is, as the Praetorium suspects, a Flesh Eater.” There was a pause as if Zeke was expecting an astonished gasp. Or maybe a crackle of thunder.

“A...what?” Rex and Nia said simultaneously.

Pandoria flicked some of the hair away from her glasses ostentatiously. “That’s exactly what a Flesh Eater would say.”

Zeke slapped a hand down on the table. “Never you mind! We will be asking the questions here! And the best way to ascertain the truth is with my super secret penultimate technique!”

He reached into his cloak, wormed his hand around for a few moments, and then pulled out...a tiny turtle? He set the turtle on the table which promptly started crawling around in circles. Very slowly. 

Then Zeke held one of his hands up to his face, hovering just over the eyepatch with his fingers splayed out so it was still visible between them. “You see, by establishing resonance between myself and Pandoria I can create a feedback loop between ourselves and our mighty companion Turters!”

_‘Turters...really?_ , she thought.

“That feedback loop flows into me and allows me to aim my ultimate power, the Eye of Shining Justice, at any individual! When I do so my Eye of Shining Justice begins to throb and lets me see through all lies! With this special ultimate technique all truth is revealed to me!” The lightbulb on Pandoria’s head flashed to punctuate Zeke’s words.

_‘You just called it a penultimate technique not ten seconds ago’_ , thought Nia.

“Oh wow. Amazing.” Rex’s voice was perfectly monotone while he spoke. “I’ve got to know though. Did you make that up on the spot or was that something you thought up before you got here?”

Pandoria shrugged. “About fifty-fifty.”

Zeke looked at her aghast. “Pandy, you traitor!”

Nia rubbed her temples and groaned. “Can we just get to the point already? Listening to you two is giving me a headache.”

Zeke smirked and looked at them each in turn with his one visible grey eye. “As I said, acting as Special Envoy to Indol I have come to ascertain whether the Blade Nia is a Flesh Eater or not. Intel that the Praetorium had uncovered more than ten years ago indicated that Nia’s registered Driver had sought out information on the process of transforming a Blade into a Flesh Eater. As a result, when your new registration came through the Praetorium sought to discover whether you had been newly Awakened or if you were the same Blade having become a Flesh Eater.”

“So,” he said. “Are you, Nia, a Flesh Eater?”

“I’m telling you I’ve got no idea what that is, so of course I damned well am not!” 

Zeke and Pandoria exchanged looks...and then sat back properly in his chair. “Good enough for me. What about you Pandy?”

“I buy it.” The two high fived, leaving Rex and Nia staring at them flabbergasted. 

“That’s it? All that drama and that’s all that needed to happen?” Nia was really starting to get a headache.

“More or less,” Zeke said. “There’s a bit more to it. For example, all Flesh Eaters have their cores turned partially red. Yours wasn’t concealed so we could see no visual signs right off the bat. We cleared out the inn because, unfortunately, these inspections are supposed to involve a complete physical inspection.”

“Excuse me, what exactly?” Surely they didn’t mean what Nia was thinking they did.

Rex gave Zeke and Pandoria each a solid glare. “There’s no way you’re strip searching Nia like that!”

Pandoria held up her hands defensively. “Hang on, the plan was to have me do it. Woman to woman. And only if it seemed like Nia was really concealing something. We still technically are required by policy to do it, so if you don’t mind I figured she and I could just go into one of the inn’s rooms, close the doors, and chat quietly for a few minutes. You know, to pretend.”

Nia could feel Rex’s confusion through the affinity link. It definitely matched hers. “Wait, that’s all? How come you’re willing to do that?”

Zeke sighed, his demeanor suddenly seeming more serious. “Truth be told I’m not a fan of these sorts of things. Under normal circumstances the Praetorian Guard would have handled everything. They’re not exactly light handed about it either.”

He planted an elbow on the table and leaned forward, letting his chin rest in his hand. “I happened to see the paperwork for the inquest come across Haze’s desk and seeing that the Driver in question was just a fifteen year old kid...well I decided to take charge of the investigation myself. It wouldn’t do for the guards to rough up some newbie Driver and get all handsy with a girl because of some ridiculous prejudiced policy.”

_‘Huh,’_ thought Nia. _‘Is this ridiculous guy actually a good person?’_

“Well,” said Rex. “I guess that is better than the alternative. But what _is_ a Flesh Eater anyway?”

Nia had been wondering that herself. Maybe now that this nonsense was out of the way she’d actually get an explanation. 

Pandoria and Zeke exchanged an inscrutable look. It was Pandoria who took up the reins of the conversation. “I guess it won’t hurt to tell you after all that nonsense. A Flesh Eater is a Blade with Human cells in their body. There’s a lot of ways to accomplish it supposedly, although the stereotype is eating part of a Human’s body. Typically their Driver, but like I said. Most of that is stereotypes and prejudice.”

She adjusted her glasses. “See, Flesh Eaters were outlawed centuries ago and the Praetorium makes it its business, as the government in charge of monitoring Blade activity, to hunt down Flesh Eaters. Supposedly they aren’t gentle about it either.”

“But why are they illegal?”, asked Rex.

“Hard to say. Like I said, this all started centuries ago. From what I know most Flesh Eaters just get independence from their Drivers in the form of normal mortality. Their lives are no longer tied to a Driver. On the other end of the spectrum some get huge powers boosts and even rarer are those who develop unique and potentially dangerous powers. It was probably something stupid like one super powered Flesh Eater doing something dumb that got them all outlawed, but I don’t know for sure.”

Rex grimaced. “So it’s just another way that people are prejudiced against Blades.”

Zeke smiled. “You’re right about that. There are a lot of people in the world who aren’t fans of Blades. I’ve seen it frequently, especially amongst refugees from war. Your reaction tells me you treat Blades right. I bet you’ll make a fine Driver.”

The older man laughed and clapped a hand on Rex’s shoulder. “I like you chum! Anybody who has a soft spot for Blades is aces in my book!” He let out a full belly laugh.

Nia looked to Pandoria who just shrugged as if to say ‘you get used to it’. “So,” Nia began. “What next? I just have to hang out in a closed room with Pandoria for a bit and then we’re done here?”

“Pretty much,” Pandoria said. “We appreciate you putting up with it. We usually don’t have funds to work with, but since this was official business we can throw a little gold your way. Should be enough to pay for a room here for a few days and dock fees as well. Our little form of apology.”

Rex sighed and turned to Nia. “Are you okay with this? It doesn’t sound like you’ll have to do anything weird.”

“Should be fine. Alright Pandoria, let’s get this over with.” The two female Blades stood up and started to walk towards the rooms in the back. 

As they walked away Nia heard Rex say, “Hey, where did your turtle go?”

“Turters! Turters! Come on, help me find him chum! Consider this a special mission as a Driver! Locate the third member of Team Zeke!” 

“Uh, sure.”

Nia smiled lightly. “You two aren’t so bad, you know?”

Still as they walked, there was something she couldn’t get from running through her head. From the moment of her Awakening she had known textbooks worth of information about the body. Some of it useful for ether healing and other bits that told her how to handle medicinal treatments, poultices, and even surgical methods.

Included in that was detailed understanding of the cellular structure of all kinds of living creatures from Humans, to beasts, to Blades, which let her apply her fine control of ether to expedite natural cellular processes as a means of accelerating healing. It made her a more efficient healer even though her ether reserves were fairly limited. 

All of that knowledge spiraled through her head and she couldn’t help where that information ran. She could see it almost instinctively. It would be best not to mention it to these people, despite their kindness. Probably best to keep it from Rex as well.

It was there in her head. She could see it as clear as day. The method for joining Human cells into the core of a Blade. The path to turning a Blade into a Flesh Eater.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys, Zeke and Pandy are so much fun to write.


	6. Amalthatober 1st, 4058

Amalthatober 1st, 4058

Rex pulled in a deep breath of fresh air as he released the clasps on his helmet and flipped it open. Nia was perched atop their shack, her legs dangling and kicking idly as she lazily read her book. Without looking up from her reading she asked, “So how’s the new depth probe treating you? Do its job?”

“Yeah yeah, you were right to replace it. The cash was worth it.” The damned thing had been deteriorating for a while and Rex had kept putting it off before Nia convinced him to take some of their savings and buy a new one. Harangued into doing it was more like. Still, it had been a good investment. 

Azurda’s voice rumbled from behind Nia. “And what about the treasure, Rex? Was it in line with your expectations?”

Rex walked over to the storage container, slid open the bottom drawer, and pulled out the crowbar. Hefting it in one hand he marched back to the steel storage box that rested towards the back end of Gramps’ body. “It seemed pretty solid. Didn’t even have to reinforce it too much.”

Nia sighed and turned a page. “I still say we should have taken that mercenary job. There’s no way we’ll get as much from this salvage as we would have from that job. And don’t get me wrong, I like the fresh air, but we could have visited Alba Cavanich.”

The tip of the crowbar planted into the lip of the box and Rex heaved. “Everybody says Mor Ardain is a wasteland. That’s why they conquered Gormott, isn’t it? Why’d you want to go to Alba Cavanich? The shopping?”

Rex pulled again and the metal gave, wrenching open. He stumbled back a little bit in  
the process. Nia let out an exasperated sigh as Rex began searching through the contents of the crate. “Hot springs Rex! They’ve got hot springs! Vess mentioned it the last time we were in Torigoth, remember?”

The young salvager poked his head back out of the box and wiped some sweat from his forehead. “Well, it looks like even with the labor costs this should be more than enough to turn a tidy profit. And we didn’t even have to run away from a sixty ton Gogol to make it.” He gave Nia a pointed look.

Nia deliberately avoided looking at him. “That last one wasn’t my fault. The job request didn’t say anything about Rotbart frequenting the area.”

Azurda turned his head to look at them, his horn gleaming in the sunlight. “I admit to being distraught at hearing the story. Although if you had taken the job that Gormotti Lord offered you there would have been no need to do that mercenary mission.”

At this Nia did lower her book and tilt her head back so she could see Azurda. “What’s this about a Gormotti Lord? Rex didn’t say anything to me about that.”

Down below them Rex had started sorting the salvage into the storage bin. “Don’t worry about it. Unless I’m desperate I’m not taking a job for that guy again. He’s a bit of a bellend. More’n a little really.”

Nia marked her page, closed the book, and then leapt down from her perch. “It’s about time for lunch, don’t you think? If you wanna finish sorting that up I’ll snag some fish.”

“Alright. We can grill it up normal if you like, but I think some of the herbs are grown in enough to use if you want.” 

They each set about their tasks. Nia quickly caught some fish in her normal fashion and Rex finished sorted and deposited the crate back into the sea. Then they unpacked the brazier and set to cooking Nia’s catch. 

“Aaaah.” Azurda let out a satisfied sound of relaxation. “The brazier does my weary old bones much good.”

As Rex and Nia sat down to eat they were interrupted by a distorted animal sound. It was something they had heard before. A sort of farewell song. Travelers of the Cloud Sea sometimes called it the Song of Departure. The last despairing cry of a dying Titan.

They turned and watched as an enormous Titan breached the surface of the Cloud Sea. Its rocky body drifted upwards and then began to slump down, the glowing spot on its chest flickering as its life dimmed and faded to nothing. The behemoth’s body slammed back down and sank beneath the Cloud Sea, the movement of that tremendous mass sending ripples through the water and rocking Gramps about. 

Nia and Rex had to adjust their footing to maintain balance. Rex was still more practiced at it, but Nia’s natural agility made it fairly easy. When the wave was gone and all signs of the dead Titan had vanished Rex and Nia looked to each other. She could see the sadness in his eyes. 

Rex grimaced. “Not another one. Been happenin’ a lot lately.”

Azurda grumbled out a response. “It does seem more frequent than before.”

“I wonder if anyone was living there.”

Nia sauntered back to the brazier to check on the fish and make sure they didn’t burn. “No way. Nobody’d be that much an idiot.”

“Nia is most likely right.” Gramps said sagely. “I saw no signs of life and if there had been, they would have all left long before its final moments.”

Rex lowered his head in thought. His mind going to the same places it always did when he saw a Titan pass. “One day even Fonsett will be gone, won’t it?”

“Yes, one day even the Titans of Leftheria will breathe their last and slip beneath the Cloud Sea. All of us Titans will eventually.” The Titan pushed ahead with the topic without hesitation. “That’s how it goes with us Titans. Even for me. One day.”

Rex plopped down across the brazier from Nia, looking forlorn. “Eventually...there’ll be nowhere left to live.”

Nia prodded at the fish, barely focused on it. “Come on you two, what’s with the depressing talk? We’ve got to take life while we’ve got it, right?”

“You’re right, I know. Still, any time I see something like that I can’t help but think of it...Elysium that is.”

Azurda swiveled his head to look towards the World Tree. “Indeed. A land of plenty atop the World Tree. Supposedly us Titans were born up there, although if that is true it was long before I was born.”

Nia plucked one of the fish off the brazier and passed it to Rex on its skewer. The other wasn’t quite ready yet. “Come on Rex, eat up so you’ll get big and strong.” He gave her a withering glare. Still, it seemed to have distracted him a little.

Azurda continued. “If such a place did exist, perhaps we could all live in peace. With no need for fighting.”

“Honestly you two...I can never tell which of you is more optimistic than the other. Although if he had to pick up a habit from you Azurda I can’t say that’s a bad one. Better than some of the other options.” The second fish looked ready so Nia grabbed the ends of the skewer, pulled it up, and took a nice big bite. “Ooo, delish!”

The Titan swiveled his head around towards them. “Now hold on a moment, what exactly did you mean by that last part?”

She continued chewing and avoided looking at him. Rex put his head down and concentrated on his food. 

“Come on now, I’m waiting! I swear I won’t budge another centimeter if I don’t hear an answer.”

Rex took a big swallow before replying, exasperation clear in his voice. “Don’t be a child Gramps. It’s not a good look on you.”

“Honestly I don’t know which of you is the worse influence on the other! Not an ounce of respect from either of you…”, he shook his massive head from side to side. 

\------------------

Nia pressed the fifteen gold into Hirkham’s hands. The blonde man accepted it gratefully. “It’s a wonder having you around Nia. That boy always dashes off on me and pays after the fact. If it weren’t for you…”

“Yeah yeah. You complain every time, but even before I was around did he ever skimp you on the mooring fees?” She tucked her bag of gold away for later. As Hirkham had said, Rex had already headed on to the Central Exchange to negotiate with Melolo.

“Well no, but it sets a bad example for others if I let Rex get away with it. Makes me look better when you pay in advance is all.” The dock master pocketed the gold and made some notations on a sheet he carried with them. 

He jerked a thumb over to Azurda. “And this one here is no better. Bit of a miserly old man.”

“How can I be miserly?”, protested the Titan. “Where would I even carry a wallet?”

Nia started to wander away from their childish argument. She paused in mid-step when Hirkham called out to her. “I’d keep my ears open if I were you. We’ve got a bunch of soldiers from both sides milling about these days and the rumors are that the ceasefire between Uraya and Mor Ardain is coming to an end.”

“What’s that got to do with me?” 

Hirkham shrugged. “The way I hear it, both sides are really pushing Driver recruitment. Nobody is saying they’re press ganging Drivers, but there’s been rumors that they’ve been putting pressure on to, let’s say ‘encourage’, folks to join up.”

“Hmmm, well thanks for the warning. These,” she pointed to her ears, “are pretty good at picking up whispers. Whether it’s rumors or certain people making comments about certain other people’s backsides.”

“Eh, what? No, come on! I didn’t mean nothing by it!” Nia headed off at a healthy clip leaving Hirkham floundering there standing next to Azurda. He glanced up at the Titan.

“I really didn’t. You believe me, right?”

The Titan studiously avoided eye contact. “No comment.”

\------------------

When Nia spotted Rex he was standing in the market talking to what looked like Pupunin who was, as usual, flanked by his two burly well dressed guards. She strained her ears to catch the conversation, but it seemed like she was a little too late. They were bidding their farewells to each other, Rex remaining where he was and Pupunin headed back to the upper level with his entourage in tow.

Nia sidled on up next to her Driver. “So, what was that about? Pupunin got a job for you?”

Rex turned to her, his eyes brimming with excitement. “Better’n that! The Chairman asked for me! By name no less!”

“Okay…”, she said slowly. “What’s that mean exactly?”

“I dunno yet, but from the way Pupunin talked I bet it’s for a job. This is my first request directly from the Chairman in the entire time I’ve been coming here. Any job from him is guaranteed big money.” Rex was practically radiating jubilant energy. 

“Alright alright, calm down. So let’s head up and see what it’s about. If it’s good enough it might push us over the black line.” That was what they had been referring to their boat goal as. A threshold of savings at which point they could buy one of the boats they had picked out without completely going broke.

“Well, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. It’d have to be a big payday to do that. Still, I’m excited to find out. You ready?” Nia nodded. Rex grinned broadly at her, took her hand in his, and started racing up towards where the Chairman’s boardroom was. Nia floundered for a moment, but matched his pace by establishing an affinity link between them.

Shortly they found themselves entering the Chairman’s boardroom. Nia tried not to gawk as they walked in. She had only ever seen the Chairman from a distance before so she hadn’t realized how huge he was. The Chairman was a blue-ish colored Nopon about the same size as a Human, making him ridiculously large for a Nopon. 

The Chairman also oozed an exaggerated image of wealth. A red monocle that looked to be made with gemstone and fanciful large bejeweled decorations on his dextrous wings. Even the Chairman’s hair was coiffed up and kept together by a band made with what looked like black beryl and solid gold. 

The two of them entered and stopped partway into the room. Their heads barely came up to the top of the Chairman’s desk. It was probably designed that way so the Chairman could look down at people. 

“Thank you for accepting summons!”, intoned the Chairman. His voice was oily and seemed to be tuned to the perfect pitch of the ‘i’m rich’ melody. “I Bana, Chairman of Argentum Trade Guild.”

Rex brought one of his hands up to his head and stuttered out a response, looking briefly around the room as he did. “P-pleased to make your acquaintance…”

Nia inwardly felt bad for him. She had almost never seen Rex nervous. Was he just edgy about the idea of messing up in front of one of the most powerful and influential businessmen on Alrest? Now that she thought of it that way...no wonder he was nervous. 

She tried not to scowl as Rex’s gaze met the eyes of the two scantily clad pretty women who were on either side of the room. They seemed to acknowledge him by smiling saucily and moving their bodies in a way that Nia definitely did not like. _‘Why’s a Nopon got Human floozies anyway?_

Chairman Bana continued speaking. “Me hear from Pupunin that friend is salvager of some renown. And he young Driver with pretty Blade too!”

Nia did her best to keep her expression neutral. _‘I’m not one of your eye candy girls Bana. None of that.’_

“That being case, I have teensy weensy thing to ask of Rex!” The Chairman gesticulated dramatically with his wings. 

“This is my first request straight from the Chairman.”

Bana leaned in across his desk. “Reward is one hundred thousand gold.”

Nia gawked at the number. No single job Rex had taken in the time since their resonance had been anywhere close to that high. “A hundred thousand?!”, Rex was near to shouting in excitement. 

She tapped him on the lower back with one of her hands to try to get him to cool it. _‘Don’t get overexcited Rex. Play it cool.’_

“Friend hear right! Actually, that just the advance. Another one hundred thousand provided upon completing job.” The more Bana talked the less Nia liked his smug voice. Still, that was a lot of money. Two hundred thousand would put them over the black line for sure.

“Two hundred thousand gold in total? I-I must be dreaming...I’ll do it!” Rex opened his mouth to continue, but Nia stepped forward and casually put a hand over his face.

“Hang on there mister ‘in it for the cash’. Let’s hear a bit more before we accept.” Rex looked startled, but he did seem to calm down a little. When it looked like he was more at ease Nia pulled her hand away.

The Chairman seemed amused by their antics. “It seems friend’s Blade is one with business sense. Rex do work and Blade make sure he get paid, yes?”

“Uhh,” said Rex in his most intelligent manner. “Something like that, I guess? So ummm, what kinda job is it?”

Bana’s expression was smugger than ever. That clinched it. Nia really didn’t like this puffball. “Crew will explain job. Bring them in!”

“Sir.” The floozy closest to the side door turned around and flung them open before marching in to make way for the clients. 

Rex and Nia turned expectantly. The first to enter was a pale grey eyed woman with a fierce expression, her black hair tumbling straight down to the backs of her calves. She wore a white coat, leather leggings, long black gloves, and her stomach was covered by some sort of odd plated armor colored red and black. 

More importantly than that she was flanked by a very tall Blade with four segmented arms. His skin was like a white armor with blue ether lines running all across it and his only form of clothing appeared to be a tattered red cloth that was attached by clasps to his upper body and then draped along his waist. A multitude of curving points came up from the top of his head. Not quite like horns, but Nia was uncertain what else they might be.

The second member was a tall broad chested man with black hair with a unique jet black armor that fit his body like a mold. Nia suspected a lot of women would find him attractive as he gave off an air of the classic brooding bad boy. 

This one as well came with a Blade in tow standing just behind him. The other Blade was also a strange looking one with a body of black (or was it blue?) armor with gold around the edges. It had a thick tail, wicked looking claws, and an unusually shaped elongated head. 

The last person to enter didn’t appear to be a Driver at first glance. At the very least he wasn’t accompanied by a Blade. Instead this man with pale hair that at one glance appeared white and in another light silver, wore an intimidating mask with two horns coming out of the forehead, white and silver armor, and had the hilt of a sword poking up over his shoulder. Nia noted idly that this man and the one with the black hair had matching metal plates draped across their chests.

In their four months together Rex and Nia had done a number of mercenary style jobs ideal for Driver and Blade, but never any group efforts. As a result their only real interaction with other Driver/Blade combos was Vess and Mabon. Neither of whom had ever seemed ready for battle, although Mabon insisted he had been a daring rapscallion at a younger age. Nia could see how impressed Rex was as the five members of this supposed crew spread out in unison, making a line. 

Nia planted her hands on her hips. “Well, I can say I wasn’t expecting other Drivers as the hiring crew.”

The man with the silvery white hair spoke, his voice soft and steady. “So...there’s something that we want to haul up. There were some current shifts. It showed up in an uncharted area. But it’s a long way down.”

Rex grinned up at the man whose face didn’t shift in the least. There was no obvious expression to be found there. “Alright, I like a challenge!”

“Bana offer to assemble team of veterans for this job, but this crew very picky. They want small elite team, and only from Leftheria. That when Bana have stroke of genius! Should hire Rex!” Nia nearly rolled her eyes. Bana was clearly buttering Rex up. Even worse, from the overconfident look on Rex’s face it was clearly working.

Rex let out a little laugh. “You made the right choice!”

Nia placed a hand on Rex’s shoulder and stepped forward so they were side by side. “Rex and I did want to clarify a bit more before we decide if we’re taking the job.”

The pale grey eyed woman tossed a hand through her hair and looked down her nose at Nia. “So your Driver is an excitable little kid huh? Must be a real pain in the ass.”

“Oh?”, Nia narrowed her eyes and looked over to the Blade behind the woman. “Say big guy, looks like your Driver is a rude loudmouth. My condolences.”

“Doesn’t bother me,” he said. His Driver snapped a stern look over her shoulder before turning back to Nia.

“Watch it little miss thing. We’re the ones deciding if we want to hire you two after all.” 

“Shut up Patroka.” The big dark haired man’s voice was deep and menacing. Much like the woman’s it wasn’t an accent that Nia recognized. “In any case, having one of the salvagers as a Driver might even make this more interesting.”

The woman, Patroka, openly scoffed. “These two? Please. I bet they’d turn tail and run at the first sight of a Tirkin.”

“Well,” said the man. “Should be easy enough to be sure.”

Nia felt the pulse of ether in the air a fraction of a second before the dark armored man acted. He shot forward with incredible speed, pulling out a glowing tonfa, clearly his Blade’s weapon. Rex dodged the first two swings on instinct and went into a twisting flip to the side to get some distance. 

Rex stood his ground as the next swing came down at him and Nia’s ether barrier sprang to life, deflecting the attack. “Hey, what the hell?”

Patroka snorted out a derisive laugh. “Malos, you look like a jackass taking a swing at a kid half your size. If being a Driver had a height requirement he’d be shit outta luck.”

Malos smirked. “Maybe so, but the kid’s got good reactions. He didn’t even blink on that last attack. That was the face of a Driver who knew his Blade was about to defend him.”

He turned to look directly at Rex, who still was on high alert for another attack. Nia was fully prepared to draw her sword and strike, although she didn’t fancy their odds against a pair of clearly experienced Drivers. 

“You’ll do right enough. You’re not half bad. I like your guts. Even knowing the barrier is coming it takes a lot not to flinch in a moment like that.” Malos returned the Blade weapon to its spot behind his back. 

Nia, for her part, was still furious. She stalked forward right up to him and reached up to poke him in that stupid chestplate of his. “You listen here you big jackass. Don’t go taking swings at my Driver like that or I’ll bash you up proper next time, I swear.”

Malos bellowed out a laugh. He didn’t seem remotely worried by her threat. “This Blade’s got plenty of guts too. Good for you.”

“Oh we’re not done you dark and brooding arsehole. Here’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to negotiate, that’s what.” She took a single step back to make room between them. Not because it was uncomfortable having to crane her neck to look up at him. Definitely not that.

Patroka leaned back up against the wall and folded her arms across her chest. Nia noticed that the man in the mask hadn’t reacted or moved during the entire incident. “What makes you think we’ve got any reason to negotiate with you?”

Nia could feel Rex’s uncertainty. He desperately wanted the job and the money, even despite this bunch’s behavior. She’d go through with it, but she wasn’t going to let it be that simple. “Rex, let me handle this part, alright?”

He nodded slowly. “I trust you Nia.”

She looked first at Patroka, then at Malos, and then at the masked man. “I’ve got a couple reasons for you. First, within two minutes you’ve insulted and attacked my Driver. Two, you’re not just hiring a salvager, you’re hiring a Driver and a Blade. Three, my Driver happens to be very skilled. Youngest ever licensed salvager in guild history in fact. That good enough for you?”

Malos chuckled. “And what exactly is it you’re after?”

Patroka jerked her head to the side to stare at Malos. “Are you seriously considering this shit Malos?”

“I said shut it.” He didn’t even look in Patroka’s direction. “Alright girl, I’m listening.”

Nia held up two fingers. “Double. Two hundred thousand as the advance and another two hundred thousand upon completion. After all, you’re hiring two people.”

The soft almost monotone voice of the masked swordsman rang out. “Those are acceptable terms. We’ll make sure the Chairman honors our deal.”

Nia grinned and walked over to the silver haired fellow before thrusting a hand out to him. “Pleasure doing business with you!”

She wasn’t entirely sure, but she thought for a brief second the corner of his lips had turned upwards in the tiniest of smiles as he accepted her handshake. 

\-------------------

It was only with Nia’s assurance that she’d make sure Rex was safe that Azurda finally calmed down. The Titan hadn’t been happy to discover that Rex had taken a job he knew essentially nothing about. Nia understood that. She wasn’t terribly happy about the prospect either, but four hundred thousand gold would get them set with the boat they needed, plenty for Rex to send back to his hometown, and a cushion of savings. 

The icing on the cake came when Rex discovered that there were enough participants to make this his tenth qualifying job. After this he could get his Class B license. Maybe they wouldn’t have to take extra mercenary jobs after. Heck, maybe Rex would be willing to take a little vacation. Those hot springs sounded absolutely wonderful. She’d have to pester him into it after the job was over.

They took rooms at the inn for the evening, mostly to give Azurda some time to cool down. It had felt necessary to leave most of the advance payment with Azurda, keeping only enough to buy supplies and have a little left over. First thing in the morning they grabbed a quick bite to eat and then headed out to Exit Dock.

Rex whistled at seeing the large Titan vessel that was docked there. “So the Chairman is busting out the Maelstrom for this job? Wish I had that kind of money…”

Nia didn’t see what was so special about the ship. Sure it was big and had lots of equipment designed for large salvaging jobs, but it was squat, ugly, and looked like it leaked. Rex was always excited at seeing interesting bits of technology though. 

Her Driver turned and elbowed her in the shoulder. “Say Nia, did you see that awesome ship at the Return Dock? That thing was huge and it wasn’t even a Titan vessel! I’d love to get a look inside at the design.”

“Nah, I wasn’t really looking.” They were greeted at the entrance to the Maelstrom by one of the lead salvagers on the job. As it turned out Rex would have the night watch, which left them to lounge for most of the early parts of their journey. As they walked on board she saw Malos and the masked swordsman watching from just off to the side. Of course they’d probably be the last to board. Did that mean that Patroka woman and her Blade were already on board?

The two of them chatted for a while in the tiny cabin they had been assigned to. Eventually they both tried to get a little shut eye to rest up since they’d have to stay up late. Nia wasn’t sure at first if she’d be able to sleep, but the motion of the ship eventually helped her drift off. 

Rex gently woke her up at the start of the evening. It was getting close to when Rex would have to take his watch shift. They exited the cabin to discover a rowdy party going on in the main area. Most of the salvagers were there drinking, cussing, dicing, or playing cards. Or some mix of any of those. 

When the salvagers saw them they shouted to have Rex and Nia join them. Rex gently turned them down since he had night watch. “Oi come on then, what about you Nia?”, said one of the salvagers whose name she swore she could almost remember. “Show these boys how a Blade knocks ‘em back!”

Nia hesitated, but Rex laughed and gave her a gentle nudge. “I’ll be alright. You haven’t gotten to cut loose with these rowdy types in a bit. Drink ‘em under the table, will you?”

She grinned and jogged over. “Alright girls, which of you burly types wants to try and go toe to toe against this tiny lady in a drinking contest?” She gave them a big wink and they roared with laughter in response. 

The outcry of “swim like a fish, and drink like one too!” rang out amongst the salvagers. “No helping it right? It is the salvager’s code after all.”

Someone handed her a mug of something frothy and probably cheap. She tapped her mug against the lip of one of the others and started guzzling it down. Poor guys. Nobody had ever told them that Blades could regenerate or that she was a healing Blade. The only way she was getting drunk was if she decided to.

The bets started changing hands and the contest was on.

\------------------

Since he still had time to kill, Rex decided to wander the Maelstrom. He was feeling a need for something a little quieter, but he didn’t begrudge Nia her fun. Plus he was confident she’d walk away from the table with some spare cash. She always did when she joined in on these things. It was almost a pity. Salvagers didn’t care what age he was so he was able to drink freely among them, but when they visited “civilized” towns they insisted he was too young. Wasn’t how it worked in Leftheria.

Whenever he was turned down the opportunity to drink alcohol by a business Nia made sure to rub it in his face that she was okay to drink. It hardly seemed to matter that it was because most governments legally considered Blades to have no age at all. She reminded him that Blades who looked too young were often turned down, not that either of them had seen it happen. It wasn’t fair. Nia only looked a little older than he was, if that. 

For a moment as he wandered he thought he caught a glimpse of Pupunin, but that wouldn’t make sense. Why would Pupunin be on the Maelstrom? After looking around for a bit he failed to catch another sighting of the little Nopon, so he assumed he had mixed the fellow up for another Nopon. They must have been wearing similar clothes. 

Rex turned a corner and stopped in his tracks. The white haired man was standing by one of the windows, staring out into the distance. Rex started to turn to leave, but paused when the man spoke. “You didn’t disturb me. If you want to enjoy the view you’re welcome to.”

Cautiously Rex approached and stopped right next to the man, gazing out at the sea. The endless white of the Cloud Sea was always so different when it caught the glow of a starry sky. Although from what he could see in the distance they might have a storm coming toward them. “So…”, Rex said hesitantly, feeling awkward. “You uh...like watching the Cloud Sea?”

“At times. It can be quite calming.” The strange man in the mask leaned his elbows against the windowsill and Rex caught a better glimpse of his eyes. A striking blue color. Unsurprisingly there was an intensity to them. Rex wasn’t sure what to make of the fellow.

“I practically grew up on the Cloud Sea. Been making my living on it for the last five years too. What about you...ummm...sorry, I didn’t catch your name?” That wasn’t too awkward right. Right?

The man’s voice never seemed to alter in pitch, he retained the same icy cool tone. Yet Rex didn’t hear any negativity in the man’s voice either. “Jin. My name is Jin. I grew up a very long way from here. It has been...a very long time since I was there.”

Rex nodded in understanding. He should probably visit Fonsett more often, but he usually only went back every couple years. “Sometimes that happens. By the way, I wanted to say thank you for taking Nia’s deal earlier. It really helps us out.”

Jin nodded ever so slightly. “The money was not a problem. Your Blade’s determination to stand up for your wellbeing was...pleasant to see. The bond between Driver and Blade is...something unique.”

“Yeah, but it’s awesome too. There’s something so incredible about being able to connect with someone on that level. It doesn’t seem like you’re a Driver, but since you’re around a bunch I bet you see it a lot. Having Nia with me is....important to me. She’s special, you know?” 

Jin was quiet for a moment. Then he slowly turned his head and his eyes met Rex’s. “Yes. It isn’t always so, but you should always remember something. A Driver and Blade are one in body and soul.”

“Woah...I like that! It just sounds right. Is that some kinda Driver/Blade code or something?” 

Jin paused again. “No. Not quite. I heard it long ago. From someone I knew.”

“A friend?” Again Jin paused.

“I don’t think so. Perhaps under different circumstances. Or perhaps we were...always too different.” Jin turned again to look out at the Cloud Sea.

Rex was feeling curious, so he pushed a little further. “Do you think you’ll ever see them again? Sometimes meeting a person again after a long time...well the little things don’t matter anymore.”

“I suspect that I will. Although...I don’t believe there will be a reconciliation. In fact, the last conversation we had I said certain things that, while my honest feelings, were unkind in retrospect. Perhaps even cruel. There are...some bonds that can never be forged and others...that can never be reforged.”

Rex shrugged. “I don’t know about all that. If you try, I think it’s possible to make a connection with anyone. Kinda like with Drivers and Blades.”

“Is that so?” Rex nodded. “This has been an...interesting...conversation.”

Jin fell silent. The type of silence that felt deliberate. Interesting conversation or not, it seemed pretty clear it was over. “Well uh...I guess I’ll let you be. I’ve got to head up for night watch in a little bit anyway. Nice talking to you!”

Rex wandered away, briefly glancing down at the central area to see that Nia was still drinking away with the salvagers. She was arm in arm with a ring of them and, from the sound of it, singing a very bawdy song. 

He started to make his way towards the stairs that led to the upper deck. At the foot of the stairs was the woman Patroka and her four-armed Blade. Well, he wasn’t expecting any morose philosophical conversations, but she was one of his employers. He should at least say hi. Tentatively he waved in greeting. “Hey, how’s it going?”

Patroka rolled her eyes and waved him away. “Piss off. I’m not interested in flirting with any kids.”

Rex grimaced and brushed past her. “As if, lady! I’ve got good taste!”

Up on deck he went. The temperature changed almost immediately as he emerged. There was a sense of pressure in the air and up here he could see more clearly the storm clouds in the distance. Off the side of the deck he saw that Malos guy talking quietly with his Blade. _‘Should I try for two out of three?’_

The answer was pretty obvious. He didn’t have many opportunities to talk to other Drivers after all. Rex made his way over, Malos and his Blade’s conversation ending almost immediately as Rex approached. “Hi. Malos, right? I didn’t catch your name.” The last part he said to the Blade.

“Sever. You dodge well.” The Blade, Sever, had an almost animalistic voice. There was a quality to it Rex hadn’t heard before. Then again, he hadn’t talked to any Blades with similar appearances.

“Uh, thanks I guess.” He rubbed the back of his neck, searching for a topic of conversation. Why was it that it felt harder to suddenly talk to this Malos guy than with Jin? Malos seemed the more talkative type between the two after all. It wasn’t just because the man had attacked him to test him, was it?

“So ummm...are you looking forward to the job?” Malos chuckled in response.

“Looking forward to it? You’re damn right. I’ve been waiting for this opportunity for a long time. Which means you and your little salvager buddies better work hard. We’re counting on you.” Malos grinned and leaned back up against the railing, his arms spread out to the sides. 

Rex balled his right hand into a fist and popped it into his open left palm. “You can count on me! I’m going to do everything within my skill to make sure this job is a success. I’ve got a lot riding on it too after all.”

“I’m surprised you came over here. Most of your little friends have avoided me. Which is understandable.” Malos definitely had a wicked grin when he wanted to. Rex felt like that smirk could stop a rampaging Ardun in its tracks.

“Well, you seem interesting. Plus I don’t get to talk to other Drivers that often. I actually chatted with your friend Jin earlier, but that Patroka woman…” he trailed off.

Malos barked out a laugh. “No surprise there. She’s a grade A bitch. Tough as nails though.”

“Ah, yeah I guess that’s one way of putting it. So ummm...got any advice? Driver to Driver?” 

Malos pushed away from the railing and slowly walked in a circle around Rex. Rex realized he was holding his breath. Boy this guy was big. “Advice huh? Well if there’s a best piece of advice I could give it’s…”

The man stopped directly in front of Rex and clapped a hand on each of his shoulders. “Try not to die.”

With that Malos spun on his heels and made a beckoning motion with his hand. “We’re going Sever. Keep that advice in mind brat! It’s the best wisdom any Driver could hope for.”

Once they were out of earshot Rex could breathe again. “Sheesh, what a jerk.”

Still, Rex couldn’t help but admit that the guy was kinda cool. Just kinda.

There was no procrastinating any further. At long last he headed up the stairs to the lookout platform where he relieved the salvager on duty. Now he just had to settle in for a cold shift. Hopefully the storm wouldn’t hit until his watch was finished.

\---------------------

Eventually the drinking wound down and Nia collected her money. Quietly she used one of her healing Arts to soothe away the headache that had been budding. When she asked one of the salvagers if Rex was still on watch, he told her that Rex had gone back to the cabin after his shift ended. So Nia went to join him. 

When she entered Rex was laying in one of the cots, hands behind his head and eyes closed. From the sound of his breathing he was asleep, but not deeply. Carefully she clambered into one of the other cots and laid down on her side. Maybe she could get a bit of sleep. 

She drifted in and out, waking up the sound of a storm pelting the ship with rain, and falling back asleep to it as well. What was likely a few hours later she awoke again. This time she was fully awake. Carefully and quietly she sat up and pulled her legs to her chest so she could lean her back against the wall. Rex was still asleep. 

There was something soothing about his sleeping face. There had been times over the last four months where she was having a hard time falling asleep. When that happened, sometimes she would peak in and watch Rex for a bit. He was so peaceful that it was relaxing. She would open the affinity link between them after a bit and lay back down to sleep. Whenever that happened she always awoke feeling refreshed.

The best times were when they went out on merc missions and had to camp out in the wild. A bed was nice, but sleeping under the stars with a foldable pillow and a simple sleeping bag...that was perfect. Just her and her Driver, all of nature around them.

It would be a strange transition when they finished this job. They’d buy the boat Rex had been looking at. Mabon had given Rex a book of ship designs that a fellow named Umon could make and recommended they look the shipwright up when they had the cash. Nia didn’t know if a boat would be available immediately or if they’d have to wait for one to be built. Knowing Rex he’d probably try to skimp out and buy a used one.

And then...Rex would resonate with the second Core Crystal. The one with the beast Blade waiting within. After that it would Rex and his two Blades. Not just Rex and Nia. If they took a job that led them into the wild it wouldn’t be the two of them under the stars. It would be the three of them. 

It was ridiculous of her to feel jealous. Just like Rex had said about her, the Blade in that Core Crystal deserved to be alive. But even so, she couldn’t stop that feeling in the pit of her stomach. The deep rooted sensation that when Rex Awakened a second Blade that she would lose something important. Stupid. Absurd. Maybe even a little pathetic. 

Rex might even have the Core Crystal with him now. Sometimes he carried it with him on jobs, in that water proof container attached to the back of his belt. When she had asked him why, he had said it was because he felt bad that he couldn’t Awaken it yet. Didn’t want it to feel left out. Ridiculous. But that was so like Rex.

Her ears picked up the hum of the intercom system coming on line before the voice even sounded. “We are in position. All personnel report to stations. Salvage team, suit up and proceed to hatch”, came the announcement. 

Rex, trained salvager that he was, jerked awake immediately. He flashed Nia a smile and set to putting on his full dive suit. She had gotten used to seeing him do it, but it was still impressive how methodical he could be checking every strap and seal while still doing it so quickly.

Soon the entire team was assembled. The master salvager provided instructions and everyone split off into their assigned sections. For Nia, she would have to wait until the target was lifted up out of the water. She wouldn’t be involved until the search teams went in. This was the first time she had ever seen a joint operation like this. Honestly, it was strange to see some of those drunken idiots act so professionally. 

Watching the process was actually pretty impressive. In addition to normal cranes the Maelstrom turned out to have sections that could partially detach to allow long cabled cranes to extend down hundreds of Peds. Rex was right. It was a fancy ship, even if it didn’t look like it at first glance.

All in all the process took nearly two hours. When she asked, the master salvager running the operation told her that if they raised the vessel too fast it could break apart. The whole operation had taken months of planning. 

When it looked like the surface of the Cloud Sea was bubbling and rippling Nia went aboard the top deck, ignoring the light rain coming down. Eventually a tremendous ship of a design she had never seen before broke the surface. Even then it took a few minutes for it to settle into place. Nia whistled in awe. “Woah, that’s massive.”

Rex had returned to the Maelstrom, but was busy working with the other salvagers to attach cables to the vessel to secure it into place. Then they would be setting up an extendable ramp to bridge the gap between the two ships. Off to the side she could see the team of three that had hired them watching the operation. Their Blades hung back behind them. Momentarily she considered going over to talk to them, but decided she didn’t want to deal with that Patroka woman. 

Her Driver was one of the first over to the surface of the other ship. Together with a few others they secured their end of the ramp into place. Finally it was time for the rest of the members of the search teams to head over. Which meant it was time for Nia to work. Even their employers made their way onto the ship.

A snapped order from the master salvager had everyone divide up into pre-structured teams for the search portion. Just as Nia was approaching Rex, Malos and the masked man walked in between them. The masked man looked over at Rex before saying, “You. With us.”

Nia hurried over to join Rex, who greeted her with a smile. They didn’t get a chance to talk as they were forced to follow after the much longer legged strides of their three employers and their Blades. One of the search teams was sent ahead to carefully force the doors open. 

“So~”, Nia didn’t get anything else out before Patroka snapped at her.

“No chatter. Especially from you. Your accent gives me a headache.” Patroka turned away to watch the work on the doors. Nia made sure to glare very fiercely at her back.

Once the doors were open it was their team that went in first, which made sense as three of the four members were Drivers. Down they descended into the depths of the ship, clearing their way past stray aquatic lifeforms that had made the belly of the vessel their home. One of the deeper sections even had an extra large and especially disgruntled Aligo greet them, although three Drivers made quick work of it. Although she did notice the speed and precision with which the masked man wielded his curved sword. That was a dangerous man.

Though that was surprising she was more shocked when she discovered that Patroka’s Blade, Perdido, was packing multiple Blade weapons. That was something she hadn’t even known was possible. Perdido attacked in varying sequences, using his multi-arms to allow him to strike from different angles with the various weapons. Patroka herself seemed to favor an ether cannon. All of that group was highly skilled. And ruthless. Patroka enjoyed herself, blowing off half of the Aligo’s body with a particularly nasty shot of charged ether.

All in all the search portion was going well. There was nothing on the ship that stood a chance against them and the vessel itself wasn’t laid out in any sort of complex fashion. At one point the group split in half to search for any charge power source to boot up a console. From the awed expression on Rex’s face, Nia assumed this technology was pretty impressive. There wasn’t much for her to compare it to, so it all just seemed like shiny lights and buttons to her.

Nia was annoyed that she was forced to split up from Rex, getting paired up with Sever to look around. Rex ended up having to tag along with Patroka, neither of whom looked pleased. Several minutes later they all met back up in that central chamber. Rex and Patroka were last, with Rex carrying a glowing cylinder of some sort under his arm. He and Patroka were pointedly not looking at each other. 

When Rex passed Nia he whispered, “That woman, I swear…” and then slotted the cylinder into an open spot. After a moment parts of the ship seemed to hum to life and additional lights came on. Ahead of them stood a huge wall. Although with the fancy symbol on the front, maybe it was supposed to be some sort of door?

She squatted down and looked carefully at the bottom. Sure enough there was the tiniest gap there. It must be a door. Big one though. Were those seems running in three curved sections? What kind of door, fancy or not, opened in three directions? _‘Whoever designed this place was a little pretentious.’_

“There it is, Jin. Addam’s crest.” Malos folded his arms, inspecting the door. Given what was on the door he had to be referring to the fancy round protrusion in the center. Although none of her innate knowledge said anything about what Addam’s crest was. When she heard Rex mutter in confusion as well, she felt a little better that she didn’t know. 

_‘Well, normal people don’t have crests. Fancy as this ship is, I bet it was some sorta poncy noble type. Hang on a sec, are we actually here for sunken treasure? Like out of a story?’_ That thought was kind of exciting. Now she was looking forward to seeing what was past that door. Was this how Rex felt when he was wrenching open those big dumb boxes?

“Rex,” said Jin. “I want you to open that door. It will only open to one of you people.”

“Oi, what’s with the ‘you people’? Bit rude isn’t it?” 

Malos snapped, his voice fierce and filled with danger. “Hurry your ass up! We didn’t fork  
over a couple hundred thousand gold so you could ask a bunch of questions!”

Rex grimaced and turned to the door. “A bit of respect doesn’t hurt. Treating hired hands like that...that ain’t gonna fly.”

Nia glowered at Malos. “Quit your bellyaching. We’re doing your job. No need to be an ass about it.”

Malos stomped over to her and his grey eyes glared down at her, full of a blend of rage and...amusement? “Well well. The little girl has some guts too.”

She clenched her fists and met him glare for glare, although she did have to crane her neck to do it. “Yer damned right.”

“Hey hey, nobody needs to start a fight, alright? I’ll open up. Just...umm...gimme a sec.” Rex smiled over at them in a way that even these people could probably tell was fake. Malos’ return smile was equally fake, but a whole lot more intimidating. Nia turned away and folded her arms across her stomach. 

Patroka laughed unpleasantly. “Malos, that’s the second little kid you’ve picked a fight with in as many days. Am I going to have to fetch a step ladder so they can fight you on even ground?”

Nia stuck her tongue out at the dark haired woman. Not in an immature way of course. 

Rex meanwhile walked to the door and knelt down, inspecting it starting at the bottom. He was muttering to himself quietly enough that it was unlikely the others could hear what he was saying. _‘Talking to yourself is a bad habit Rex.’_ The boy had definitely spent too much time on his own before she came around.

Finally Rex stood and reached out to touch the crest. Addam’s crest, whatever that meant. There was a flicker of light and the door split apart on its three seams, the top third rising towards the ceiling and the other two sections going to each side. The resulting opening was large enough to fit an Ardun through. Or even that Aligo they had fought earlier. 

All of them looked down the hallway ahead which seemed to be filled with a faint mist or fog. Nia couldn’t feel any heat coming out so it wasn’t likely to be steam. Rex stepped forward and started to walk down the hallway. Nia noticed that as Rex walked there was a crackle of green ether along the floor in the wake of his footsteps.

She moved to rush after him, but Jin stepped into her path and held his arm up to block her. “No. It’s not dangerous to him, but it is to us.”

Nia heard Malos quietly say, “Just as I thought.”

Jin raised his voice so that Rex could hear them. “We need you to open that second door as well.”

Nia’s whole body quivered with nerves. Rex was now just out of range of their affinity link. If there was danger would she be able to get to him fast enough? 

At the end of the hall was a similarly large door with another crest at the center. When Rex touched this one the path opened only in two halves, each part of the door sliding into the wall and out of the way. When it was open Rex kept walking.

Jin lowered his arm so that he was no longer in Nia’s way. “Now it should be safe for us to proceed.”

The rest of them followed after Rex. Nia ached to run to his side, but she kept pace with the rest of them. The idea of rushing ahead like a scared little girl in front of these people...well it rankled her. 

This hallway turned out to be longer than Nia had been anticipating. It was filled with yet more fog and they walked past several archways. Rex had set a quicker pace than the rest of them despite his shorter legs. In fact, although it was hard to make him out with all the fog floating about, her ears detected a steadier pace. His feet pounded on the metal as he jogged forward for a few seconds. What had he found?

A faint emerald light pulsed through the fog and Nia felt a powerful sensation rush through her. A thrum. A rhythm. Powerful and almost familiar. It felt like...the echo of a heartbeat. 

What was Rex doing? He had stopped dead and was looking at something. As they grew closer Nia could see what made this chamber so unusual that Rex had raced ahead. Everything came to a dead end in a circular room that was all centered around a glass tube set into some bizarre apparatus that reached from floor to ceiling. 

The pulsing grew stronger. Unconsciously the affinity link sprang up between the two of them and Nia felt as if that throbbing heartbeat was in her own ribcage. Their affinity link stretched a further distance than it should have. The longest she had ever made one...but she didn’t recall establishing the link. 

Nia’s gaze rose upward into the glass tube above Rex. They all stepped into that central chamber where the emerald glow emanated. It was coming from right in front of Rex, but her eyes were caught between his body bathed in light and the treasure they had come to find.

A girl was asleep inside that glass tube. Perhaps dead, but Nia didn’t think so. The girl in there was stunning with pale skin and long golden blonde hair that hung down to her waist. Clad in white, the girl’s arms were crossed over her chest as if she had been laid to rest. 

To her left she heard Malos whisper to Jin, getting the man’s attention. “Yes,” responded Jin just as quietly. “That’s the Aegis.”

_‘The...Aegis?’_ She turned to ask a question, even knowing how they had responded to Rex’s earlier question.

And then everything fell apart.

Malos jerked to his full height and shouted at Rex. “Hey, brat! Don’t even think about touching that!” 

Rex gasped as motes of green light burst forth from whatever he was standing in front of. That heartbeat disappeared in that same moment and Nia felt their affinity link break. Not just break, it felt as if it were shoved aside. 

With her gaze on Jin and Malos she saw Jin’s hand rise to his shoulder. Up to the hilt of his sword. Her hand went out to her side, her weapon bursting into life, forming from raw ether. It all took the space of an eyeblink.

Nia’s strike was superb. One of the smoothest she had ever made. Fast, accurate, and near to perfect. It hit air.

Jin’s blow hit her like a hammer blow. Her entire body felt like it was trying to fall apart. But that didn’t make sense. There had been no pain, but she had heard the sound of sword meeting flesh. Her eyes searched for Jin and she found him immediately. He stood several feet away and directly behind Rex. Jin’s sword was embedded into Rex’s back.

Even as the ether mass that made up her body began to lose its cohesion Nia drew upon the ambient ether. A golden affinity link exploded into life between her and Rex. Her wordless howl of rage filled the air. She forced ether to flow from her core and down into her feet and she launched herself forward, swinging as hard and fast as she could. Aiming for Jin’s neck.

He dashed backwards, so fast that even without blinking she barely registered the movement. Without Jin’s sword holding him up, Rex began to fall. Almost all thought of Jin fled from her mind. Thoughts were quickly becoming harder. It was a struggle to maintain her physical form. 

Nia’s arms caught Rex as he dropped, crumpling to the ground with him. She turned him in her arms, pulling him up to her chest. Her left hand came to rest on his chest. Above the gaping sword wound. Abandoning any pretense of holding herself together she began to pour the ether that gushed through her into that wound. The strongest healing Art she could muster. 

Her head snapped up and to her left at the sound of Jin’s footsteps. She snarled at him, tears streaming down her face. “Why? You bastard, why?!”

That monster was so calm as he approached. “Don’t take it personally. Consider it an act of mercy. At least neither of you will have to live through what’s coming.”

“Fuck your mercy! He’s Rex! Don’t you understand? He’s my Driver! My Rex!” She turned back to him, to Rex. There was no heartbeat and the ether flow between them was rapidly diminishing. Her entire body was flickering in and out. 

Jin’s expertly swung blade shattered a white sword that stood only an arms length away from them. Nia couldn’t care less. She didn’t have room to care. Not anymore. She had to save Rex. She had to fix him. Heal him. But...she was running out of time.

Shakily she raised her right hand to his cheek. That hand was almost completely translucent. Her tears dripped down on him, landing on his face as if they were his own. “Rex...please no. Please, Rex, please no. I can’t...please...I don’t want to forget you…”

Above and behind her Jin flinched almost imperceptibly. 

All sounds other than her own voice had faded away. Her affinity link with Rex had dwindled to a thin string, but it burned a stronger gold than ever. No more ether passed from her hand into her body. Her healing Arts weren’t functioning any longer.

Her voice was soft and scratchy, filled with desperation. “Rex...don’t go. Please...you have to stay with me...Rex...please...Rex…”

She could no longer see anything except for Rex’s face. The touch of her hand against his face was the only sensation left. “Please...for me...Rex I lo~”

The last of Nia’s body burst apart into particles of ether. A Core Crystal clattered to the ground next to its former Driver. Dim. Cold. Lifeless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is definitely the most similar to events in the original game, but it was crucial for moving the story forward. Also, say hi to Mythra.


	7. Driver of the Aegis

Patroka looked down at the dead body of the little salvager kid. She was momentarily reminded of a similar image from her past. She banished the thought. “What a weepy display. In the end she was just another Blade who couldn’t do a damned thing.”

She crouched down and picked up the fallen Core Crystal. Casually she bounced it in the palm of her hand. This hadn’t been her hunt, but it was another core to add to their growing collection. For Mikhail’s project. 

She glanced up over her shoulder at the woman in the pod. “So this is what all the fuss is about? This is the legendary Aegis?”

“That’s right,” said Jin. “We’re going to take her and make our leave.”

Malos stared at the Aegis with a hungry look in his eyes. The eagerness of a Feris about to pounce on its prey. “Patroka, call the Monoceros. We’re going to ship the Aegis out.”

A similar feeling pooled up inside of her. She needed to strike out and there were clearly targets available. “The salvagers?”

Malos smirked. “They’re all yours.” 

Feeling excited Patroka stood, her hand clenched around the girl’s Core Crystal. She turned to leave, but was stopped when Jin grabbed her by the wrist. His grip was like an iron vise. “What the hell Jin? Let me go or…”

“Leave the crystal. Think of it as...a last act of kindness.” Jin released her wrist and then turned to walk away. As always he gave a command and didn’t even bother to check and see if it was followed. He just...knew. And damn him, but she owed him at least that much.

“Fine. They can rot here together for eternity for all I care.” She knelt back down and placed the Core Crystal next to the kid’s body. However, she did take a moment to search through his belongings. His sword was barely worth mentioning, but he had a bag of what felt like a few thousand gold on him and…

Another Core Crystal, hidden away in a pouch on his belt. Patroka hesitated for a moment and then shoved this second crystal and the gold into a hidden pocket in her coat. _‘Jin only said to leave the girl’s core. Never said a thing about this one.’_

With pure brute force Malos ripped the container free from its socket and stepped back, hefting it up onto her shoulders. Patroka whistled quietly in admiration. No matter how many times she saw it, Malos’ raw strength was impressive. 

When she stood back up her eyes met Perdido’s. “When we get up there...I think I want the Greataxe to start.”

“Planning on giving those salvagers a more personal touch?” She bared her teeth at her Blade in the facsimile of a smile.

“Nah, on second thought gimme the Shieldhammer. I want to smash those Humans into paste.” 

It was almost a pity she wasn’t going to get a chance to go toe to toe with the legendary Aegis.

\-----------------------

The sound of bells in the distance was the first thing Rex noticed as he slowly regained consciousness. Soft grass clumped together beneath his hands. As he stumbled to his feet he looked around to gather his bearings. There was a sense of emptiness in his chest that he couldn’t identify. Everything felt...off. Even his balance and memory felt distorted. Where was he?

The sky was a brilliant blue and the air was incredibly fresh. A copse of trees stood behind him and up ahead was a sweeping plain of that tall grass that led up to a hill. Upon that hill rested a lone tree. Even from this distance he could see that there was a person standing next to the tree. Birds chirped pleasantly just out of sight, a particular warble that he didn’t recognize. Was this an area of Gormott he didn’t know? The grass wasn’t right for Leftheria, Mor Ardain was supposed to be barren, and Uraya’s environment was inside its Titan. 

Rex’s feet led up across the grass and toward the hill where the woman stood. As he crested the hill he got a better view of the woman by the tree. Golden blonde hair tumbled down her back, swaying in the breeze. “Ummm...hello?”

The woman spoke. Her accent was one he didn’t recognize and her voice was strong and clear. “It’s annoying, isn’t it? That sound hasn’t stopped a single time in all these years.”

A little thrown off he looked around, trying to figure out what she meant. “What hasn’t stopped? Those bells? Are we close to the Praetorium? I can’t quite figure out where we are.”

He drew closer, making his way further up the hill so he didn’t have to raise his voice. Not to mention the fact that he hadn’t seen another soul anywhere around. “The Praetorium is a little more...pretentious than this. No, this is Elysium.”

She still hadn’t turned to face him, but there was something familiar about her. He stopped for a moment and lifted a hand to his face. For a second there his cheek had felt wet, yet when he turned his head to the sky it was still bright and beautiful. His glove didn’t come away wet either. 

For the tiniest fraction of an instant he thought he saw someone or something on the other side of the tree, but when he focused there was nothing. What was happening to him? What was going on? He was in Elysium, was that what she had said?

“This is the land from which mankind was cast out countless millennia ago by their creator. This place, it’s where “we” were born.”

Rex reached the top of the hill and his gaze swept out across the horizon. At the bottom of the hill lay a lake, or perhaps a wide river, and beyond that barely within view were buildings. The bell sound was coming from somewhere in that direction. Even beyond the town he could see yet more land. It seemed almost as endless as the Cloud Sea. Filled with awe he said, “This...is Elysium? Really?”

He drew his eyes away from the expanse and focused on the woman to his left. She was taller than he was, beautiful, with eyes as golden as her hair and an...impressive figure. Made more so by the short white dress she wore, accented in spots by sections of armor in black and green. There was an ethereal beauty to her and there, just below her neck, was… “a Core Crystal...you’re a Blade?”

“Just now noticing that, are you Rex?” She planted a hand on one of her wrists and cocked her head slightly to the side. “You’re slower on the uptake than I was expecting.”

He jerked back a little. “How...do you know my name?”

Her tone shifted a little as she talked. There had been a certain...smugness to it before, but now there was something almost sad. “I knew when you came into contact with my weapon, but…”, she was much quieter, so low that he could barely hear her, “..I knew your face long before that.”

What did she mean? Her weapon? “I...don’t understand. When did I…” 

So much felt wrong. Even his balance seemed off. No wait, hadn’t he thought that before? “I’m sorry, I don’t remember how I got here.”

“Not surprising. You died after all. Stabbed through the heart by Jin.” Rex felt a jolt of pain as a memory returned to him. A fearsome tearing sensation, the blood dripping out of his chest. The curved sword protruding from his body. Jin’s sword. 

A wave of nausea hit him heavily and he was barely able to keep himself from falling over. He cupped both hands to his mouth, his body shaking. “That son of a bitch...he stabbed me!”

There was that feeling of wetness on his face again and another thought hit him. “Nia? Is Nia alright? They didn’t hurt her, did they?”

The Blade shook her head slowly. “Rex...you have to understand. Nia is a Blade. When you died…”

That thought left unfinished told Rex everything he needed to know. “She...returned to her Core Crystal? She died along with me?”

Nia who had taught him how to be a Driver, gone. Nia, who had teased him and laughed with him and swam with him and played games with him and fought with him and fought for him and healed him and trusted him and…

“Because I was an idiot...because I took a stupid job...because I wasn’t strong enough...Nia is…”, it was hard to say it. It ached from his feet to the top of his head. 

“Rex.” The Blade’s voice, so strong and determined, brought him to his senses. He looked up at her and those fearsome golden eyes met his own. “Her Core Crystal is intact. There’s a chance for her to live again.”

“You...you’re right. Thank you.” Another thought hit him strongly and he looked around, searching for a way out. “No, even if it’s not me I want her to live, but I can’t let those bastards have her!” 

It didn’t matter. What was he supposed to do about it? He dropped to his hands and knees and slammed a fist against the ground. “Damn it! They’re going to take Nia, they’re going to kill everyone aboard the Maelstrom, and I can’t do a damned thing about it because I’m dead!”

Feet crunched the grass and he lifted his head up, seeing the blonde woman approaching. “Rex, I get it. You’re mad. You’ve got every right to be, but I’ve got an offer for you. If you’ll listen.”

Slowly Rex rose to his feet. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be complaining. Here I am in Elysium and I’m bothering you.” He pondered for a second. “If I’m dead and this is Elysium...are you...really a Blade? Who are you?”

She hesitated for a moment, but then extended a gloved hand out to him. “I am Mythra.”

Rex took her hand in his and shook it. Doing so he felt...a familiarity. “As to your other question, of course I’m a Blade. Although, you could say I’m a very special Blade. Special enough that I can do something about your little problem.”

“Little problem...what? Being dead?” Surely she was joking. Right?

“Yep. Hit the nail on the head. After all, I am pretty awesome.” There was that smugness again. Still, it made Rex wince a little. Just then, she had reminded him of Nia. 

“So ummm….what do I have to do?” 

Mythra looked at him for a few seconds. Past him maybe. Through him. Whatever she was seeing, it felt like it was something very far away. “Out there in the rest of the world there are places I want to go. Questions I want to answer for myself. Things I need to learn. I think you can help me on that journey.”

Her head turned towards the origin of the bell sound. “Then, when I’ve gotten my answers…”

Mythra’s eyes settled upon him again and there was a fierce passion there. A determination in her eyes that seemed unbreakable. She held her hand out to him, palm up as if beckoning him. “Will you come with me to Elysium?”

“I don’t understand. Isn’t this place Elysium?”

“This place is a fragment. A half-forgotten memory that lives on in my mind. But it’s out there, the real Elysium that lies in your world. Away from this place and far above the clouds. You know where it is, don’t you?” 

“The...World Tree? The stories say that Elysium is at the top. It’s a place I’ve dreamed of.” 

“That’s right. Well, Rex? Surely you’re not going to leave a girl hanging? Don’t you think that’s a little rude?” She nodded her head toward her extended hand. 

“Oh, uh...sorry. Do I just…”, he placed his palm atop hers. Then she began to draw his hand towards her. No wait...towards her chest...he wasn’t ready. Wait, what? No no, don’t be ridiculous.

There was a slight blush on her face. “Don’t get the wrong idea,” she snapped sternly. “I just need you to touch my Core Crystal, okay?”

“Uh, right. No, wait, I don’t understand at all.” Her strong grip pulled his hand to her and placed his fingers upon the emerald crystal. He tried not to focus too closely. Her dress was a little...plungy. 

“I can share half of my life with yours.” Her core began to glow beneath his fingers. “With my power you’ll be reborn. You will become the Driver of the Aegis.”

“I’m not sure I understand. I don’t know what it means to be the Driver of the Aegis, but...if you’re telling me that this place exists, that I can reach Elysium…”. Wasn’t that so much of what he had wanted? Dream of? They had always felt like impossible out of reach desires, something to strive and yearn for. Yet that might be in his grasp.

“If I become your Driver could you help me? I want...agh, I want to kick that bastard’s arse for what he did to Nia! To me!” 

Mythra smirked. “Honestly Rex? I was already planning on it.”

“Well then! There’s no time to lose, is there?” Her Core Crystal pulsed beneath his finger tips. It thrummed with the rhythm of her resonance. Their resonance. Rex felt some surging within him as light was drawn from her core to his chest. Flashes of light emanated from Mythra in a way that he recognized. So similar to when he had Awakened Nia, but accompanied by a rush of energy. 

And as the light enveloped them both Rex thought he saw something by the tree. Something formless or hidden. Watching. 

Rex Awakened upon his feet, powering swirling through his body. He stood in the same chamber where Jin had stabbed him. Where he had died. In his right hand he gripped a long golden handle connected to an intricate white sword of triangular shape, an emerald core matching Mythra’ set into the pommel. It blazed with ferocious light, an emerald energy that burst forth from the blade, extending out and to the sides. 

His eyes settled upon it. The Core Crystal that lay at his feet. Carefully he scooped it up and held it to his chest. _‘I’m so sorry Nia. I know I can’t make it up to you, but I’m going to try. And I’m going to start by showing that bastard a thing or three!’_

\-----------------------

On the upper deck of the ancient vessel Torna strode confidently. Soon the Monoceros would arrive and they would depart with the Aegis in hand. The first step to their plan would come to fruition and then the countdown to the final step would begin. “Patroka”, said Malos. “Don’t have too much fun.”

Patroka hefted Perdido’s heavy Shieldhammer up onto her shoulder. “No promises.”

With one of his four arms Perdido lifted the Decimation Cannon and fired a heavy blast of ether that shattered the ramp between this ship and the Maelstrom. The salvagers who had been milling about shook with fright. They began shouting, demanding to know what was going on. The sounds of Humans yapping, their voices tinged with fear, yet still trying to command her...it brought about a righteous fury within Patroka. 

She stepped in front of the guild members, raised the Shieldhammer, and prepared to bring it down. “I hope you lot have enjoyed your short lives!”

The container that Malos was carrying over one shoulder, the thing like a massive glass fronted casket, began to shine. Rays of light pierced through it like pins through fabric and lanced through the deck itself. Malos let out an exclamation of confusion and tossed the casket to the side, leaping away himself to avoid being hurt by the bolts of light. 

That pure light erupted upward and outward, turning the casket into slag and briefly lighting up the rain soaked night sky. Patroka’s hammer blow stopped in mid swing as she turned in shock. 

The light coalesced into the form of the woman from the casket, the Aegis, floating gracefully, descending so slowly it was as if gravity had the barest purchase on her. She was awash in that glow and her tiara flared brilliantly. Malos looked up at her and for a moment Patroka thought she saw fear. 

The Aegis angled her right hand at Malos, palm open. Light erupted from her hand and struck out at Malos with terrifying speed. Sever barely managed to activate an ether barrier in time to stop the attack. Yet as Patroka watched, that bolt of raw light ether popped Sever’s ether barrier like it was a soap bubble. 

Malos went sliding backwards into Sever who was pushed back by the force as well. The Aegis’ feet daintily touched down on the deck. “You’re a Driver now Malos? Our last battle must have done a number on you if you’re relying on someone else.”

Malos and Sever separated and began to prowl around the Aegis, each one holding one of the sword tonfas that was Sever’s Blade weapon. “And look at you partner. The same bleeding heart as ever. I thought I had taught you to let loose last time and here you are, holding back.”

The Aegis watched them both, seeming perfectly at ease. Patroka found herself uncertain what to do. Did she attack, or did Malos and Sever have this one? 

Flipping her golden blonde hair over her shoulder the Aegis said, “Not like this is going to be hard. If that’s the state you’re in I won’t even break a sweat.”

Malos and Sever charged simultaneously, releasing slashes of wind ether from their tonfas that converged upon the Aegis. She stepped slightly out of place and both attacks missed. It was such an expert dodge that Patroka could have sworn the Aegis knew those attacks were coming in advance. 

“Mythra! You keep talking that weak shit and I’ll end you!” Malos attacked, his tonfa lashing out with lightning quick strikes. Mythra dodged by a hair’s breadth, the tonfa regularly coming so close to touching her that it had to be intentional. Sever joined the fray, attacking with his own tonfa and his claws, but Mythra maintained her advantage. Patroka had never seen anything like it. 

“End who, exactly?” She ducked under one of his swings and struck upwards, the open palm of her right hand driving up into Malos’ chin and launching him into the air. Without any wasted motion she ducked under Sever’s attack that had been aimed for her neck and one of her legs flashed out, connecting with the side of Sever’s bulbous head. The Blade went rocketing sideways, slamming into the ship's railing and cracking it.

_‘Alright, enough of this observer shit!’_ Patroka tossed the Shieldhammer backwards and Perdido passed her the Decimation Cannon. Drawing upon Perdido’s fire ether she charged up an attack and leveled the cannon at Mythra. 

“Patroka!” Perdido’s warning shout came barely in time for her to leap to the side as a tremendous ray of light burst up from beneath her feet, melting the deck. Something leapt up from below, high into the air with an ether enhanced jump. That same person landed on the deck, holding a blazing sword of green energy to the side. 

“The kid!” Patroka shouted at the same time Malos yelled, “The brat!”

Malos snarled at the sight of Rex. Rex and the sword he held in his hand. “That sword is...so you’ve gone and made yourself the Aegis’ Driver!”

Rex raised his sword and pointed it right at Jin, who had remained where he was, blocking any exit path for the guild members. “Because of you Nia is dead! You think I’m gonna let you get away with that you bloody psychopath?!”

Rex looked over to Mythra who stood on the far side of the ship’s deck. Even at this distance their affinity link roared with power, pulsing a brilliant gold to his eyes. That link had stretched an absurd distance and the energy coming through it…

Once he had compared the difference between Nia’s usual affinity link to her battle ready one by saying that normally it was like a trickle of water, but in battle it became a mighty torrent. Compared to what he was experiencing right now, that torrent of ether felt like a steady drip from a leaky pipe. Now he was being inundated with so much energy that it felt like standing in the path of a raging river. 

“Mythra!,” he shouted. “You alright?”

“No problems here. I was about to teach Malos another lesson.” Her left hand was gently resting on her hip and her right was balled up into a fist. Rex could feel unbridled confidence from her. 

“I’m gonna take a crack at Jin. Have you got my back?” In response Jin reached up with his right hand and gripped the hilt of his sword.

Mythra smirked. “If you need it, you’ve got it.”

A shot of condensed fire ether came barrelling at Rex, forcing him to nimbly dodge to the side. Patroka had shifted her aim from the Aegis to the Driver. “Stay out of this Jin! You already killed him once. Give me a turn.”

“You’re crazy, lady!” Rex pivoted to face her and saw three more ether blasts heading for him. There was something strange about these. She was standing there, her cannon aimed at him, but it was if he was watching the slow moving shadow of her attacks. Operating on pure instinct he hopped almost lazily to the right, just out of the path of those shadows. Then an instant later cannon blasts ripped through where he had been standing.

_‘What just happened?’_

Patroka snarled in rage and launched more volleys from her Decimation Cannon, the rain sizzling against each blast as they rocketed at that stupid kid. Yet that little kid dodged each one of her attacks as effortlessly as the first. “Screw that! We’re swapping Perdido!”

She chucked the cannon over her shoulder and ran towards Rex. From behind her Perdido threw the Chroma Katana which Patroka grabbed out of the air without looking. Meanwhile Perdido himself charged in from a different angle in order to flank the kid.

As they moved Rex saw those same peculiar shadows coming ahead of them. Patroka was going to come in from his left and attack with a downward diagonal swipe and then bring her katana back up in a vertical return strike. Perdido would attack from the right, launching a single shot on the run from the cannon and then upon arrival a leg sweep with the Greataxe, a smashing attack towards his shoulder with the Shieldhammer, and then a forward thrust with the Megalance. 

Rex let himself trust those shadows. A slight lean to his left and the cannon blast breezed past him, centimeters away from his arm. He swung Mythra’s sword almost lazily up to his left, deflecting Patroka’s sword while simultaneously hopping up to avoid the attack aimed at his legs. Then, as Patroka was off balance he altered the momentum of his sword swing and stabbed downward, pinning the Greataxe to the ground. That made Perdido to stumble slightly and Rex ducked without looking. The Shieldhammer’s blow sailed over his head and Perdido’s faulty balance caused the Megalance to skid loudly against the ground.

He swung upwards, unleashing a powerful blast of ether from the end of the sword. Perdido and Patroka were sent tumbling backwards, the Greataxe falling out of the Blade’s hands in the process. Rex paused for a moment and looked down at the sword, feeling a sense of awe come over him. _‘Is this...Mythra’s power? It’s like I can see the future!’_

Letting out a deep breath he began to hop from foot to foot, loosening his body up. This all felt almost too perfect. Mythra’s weapon had virtually identical weight to the broadsword style weapons Gramps had trained him on, allowing him to adapt his fighting experience to it. Combined with that predictive ability he had never felt stronger. 

Over on her side, Mythra was busy with Malos and Sever. Sever made a running leap towards her, sending out a scything wind attack at the top of his arc. Mythra raised an ether barrier that deflected it, all without even raising a hand. She let the barrier dissipate as he landed, swinging his tonfa down at her. Instead of bouncing off a shield it met empty air. Mythra slipped in close, grabbed his wrist, shifted her weight, and kicked one his ankles out from under him. As soon as his balance was broken she heaved, tossing him over her shoulder and sending him hurtling towards the side of the ship.

Malos struck at her from behind, forcing her to bend backwards so the attack missed. She used that back bending motion to transition into a backhandspring, one of her feet lashing out and striking Malos in the jaw in the process. He stumbled, but he had always been resilient. “What’s wrong Malos? Where’s that sword of yours?”

He growled and lashed out with a flurry of rapidfire strikes. Mythra dodged carefully, using her Foresight ability to do so with as little wasted movement as possible. Unfortunately, unlike many opponents Malos was too polished a warrior to grow angry and reckless because of dodged attacks. “I’ll tell you where it isn’t, partner! It’s not in the hands of some half pint little shit. Seems like you’ve downgraded Drivers this time.”

Mythra ducked under his next blow and struck him twice in the abdomen, once with each fist. Despite the power behind her punches he barely flinched. The jerk’s abs were harder than steel. Malos brought his knee up, aiming for her face, but she rolled to the left to avoid the attack. While she was down there she planted one leg against the front of his ankles and snapped the other one up into the backs of his knees. Malos tumbled to the ground, his tonfa bouncing away. 

“He seems to be handling things just fine so far. Can’t say the same for you.” 

Rex parried like his life depended on it, but as his sword deflected the Megalance, then the Shieldhammer, then Patroka’s katana, and then snuffed out an ether blast it began to feel as if his life wasn’t at risk at all. Sure his arms were moving from one direction the next as fast he could make them go, but with Mythra’s absurdly huge ether reserves pouring into his body his muscles didn’t even ache. At this speed of attack he only got a glimpse of the beginning of each attack, but practice and muscle memory allowed him to react just in time. 

The problem was, although he was holding them off he wasn’t making any headway in actually hurting Patroka or her Blade. If he wasn’t able to push through and deal some damage there would be no way to get them out of the fight. Without taking them down he wouldn’t have a chance to fight Jin. 

Worse than that, if Jin were to join the fight right now Rex had zero confidence he’d be able to fight three opponents at the same time. Jin might not be a Driver, but Rex recognized a seasoned warrior when he saw one. If Jin decided to attack, then it would be over quickly. He needed a new tactic.

Mythra and her two opponents were all on their feet and exchanging high speed attacks. Malos on one side and Sever on the other, each lashing out faster than normal eyes could follow. Each was precise with their movements, but Mythra didn’t get the sense that there was any real degree of trust there. Malos’ affinity to Sever was weak. 

Whenever she saw an opening she would take advantage of it, sneaking in a punch here or a kick there. She was doing a little bit of damage, but even with the enhanced strength of a Blade she wouldn’t be able to do a lot of damage to Malos or Sever. Worse, it seemed like Malos and Sever had positioned themselves in front of cowering salvagers. They were making sure she would put them at risk if she fired off any ether attacks. 

There was one other angle she could attack from, but no. Her stomach churned at the idea and she had to fight off momentary nausea. No. Absolutely not. There was no way she was going to use that thing. Not here. Not now. 

Her line of distracted thought nearly cost her as Malos just barely missed ramming a fist into her gut. “You seem troubled Mythra. It’s these worthless Humans isn’t it? That pointless sentimentality is going to get you killed!”

“How’d that work out for you last time?” She really did need to figure out a different tactic though. It was probably for the best that Jin was staying out of it for now. There was no way to tell whether Malos or Patroka was Jin’s new Driver, but no matter who it was Jin would make a dangerous foe. One on one she was confident she could take Jin down without too much of a problem, but Jin plus Malos plus Sever? That would spell trouble.

Malos laughed with delight, clearly enjoying their fight. He laughed even after she elbowed him in the cheek. “This is worse than you ever were in the past. If your first attack had been with Siren I’d probably be dead right now, but you were too worried about hurting these pathetic souls. Where’s the Mythra who ripped an entire Titan apart with me?”

Rage boiled in her, a fury that took all of her willpower to control. Images flashed through her head of beams of light raining down on an idyllic countryside. People running in terror as their homes were destroyed. Malos’ laughter filled her head as a city burned. Her own anguished screams echoing through the cockpit of Siren.

The back of Rex’s foot bumped up against the solution. With a cheeky grin he took one more step back, tucked his foot under the solution, and then kicked up hard. The Greataxe Perdido had dropped earlier popped up into the air. Rex reached out and grabbed the handle, whirling around and hurling Mythra’s sword in the direction of her fight. “Mythra, switch!”

That familiar command brought Mythra out of her spiral of memories. Without thinking she held up one hand and released an invisible line of light ether between herself and her sword. With that tether she drew the sword directly into her hand and immediately used it to deflect Sever’s attack, shattering his tonfa in a single blow. “Nice going kid! Stay focused!”

A wide sweep of the Greataxe forced Patroka and Perdido to dance backwards, but not quite in enough time to keep the weapon from slashing apart the barrel of the ether cannon. Perdido tossed the damaged cannon to the side, refocusing on using his two remaining weapons. 

Rex dove back into the fight, swinging the Greataxe with wild abandon. Despite its huge size it wasn’t as heavy as it looked. Or maybe his strength bolstered by Mythra’s ether just made it feel lighter. Either way, he pushed Patroka and Perdido back as they struggled to deflect the powerful blows from the Greataxe. 

Patroka glanced to her side where her Blade was deflecting Greataxe attacks with his Shieldhammer. Her Chroma Katana was faster to wield, but it didn’t let her put enough power into her blows to do more than edge those attacks away from her. “What are you doing? Dispel the axe or reform the cannon! Or both!”

“I need a moment to focus my ether and I’m not getting it!” 

Her hands vibrated from the force of the Greataxe attacks. Her entire body vibrated from the rage building inside. “Enough of this bullshit! Malos, Jin!”

She couldn’t see them from this angle, but she made sure she was loud enough for them to hear. “We’re already killing the witnesses, so I’m not holding back anymore!”

Rex looked on in surprise as Patroka retreated further, not engaging anymore. With her not involved he put more pressure on Perdido, who was struggling to keep up. _‘Holding back?’_ , thought Rex.

Now with her Aegis Sword in hand, Mythra rained attacks down on Malos and Sever, who were forced to dodge or guard with ether barriers. They reached the edge of the ship, leaving them with nowhere else to run. 

Mythra flung her sword underhanded at them and attached her invisible ether tether to it. With a single tug she made the sword spin in mid-air like a saw. Malos raised an ether barrier, which her sword ground against, making cracks spread across the shield. “Sever!”, he shouted.

Malos’ Blade created a second barrier just under his Driver’s, reinforcing the first one. Seeing an opening Mythra leapt forward and grabbed the hilt of her sword in the middle of its spin and shoved forward with all of her strength. Both barriers shattered apart under the force of her attack and the tip of her sword drove right at Malos. 

Malos reached out and grabbed the back of his Blade’s neck and pulled him sideways into the path of Mythra’s sword. Mythra’s attack pierced through Sever’s stomach, but stopped just shy of reaching Malos himself. Sever gasped out in pain and his body spasmed upon her blade. “You’ll live”, muttered Malos.

Malos pushed Sever towards her, forcing her to move backwards and allowing him to make some distance between them. Mythra tracked his movement as he ran to the side. “That’s cold Malos.”

She flared her ether through energy coming out of her sword and cracks formed in Sever’s body that seemed to bleed light itself. The Blade opened his mouth to scream and light ether bubbled out. Moments later the Blade’s entire body burst apart into particles of ether, a cracked Core Crystal clattering to the ground in his place. 

Malos glanced down at the Core Crystal of his former Blade. A Core Crystal that was now permanently dead thanks to the damage dealt to it. “I’m cold? Look who’s talking.”

Mythra held her sword up and leveled it at Malos. “Have you had enough?”

At that moment they both heard Patroka shout something about not holding back. Malos looked in the woman’s direction. “Busting that out against a kid?”

Patroka held a hand up to her chest and ether began to pour out from her body. A tremendous amount of it from what Mythra could sense. Way more than her Blade had been supplying her with. It wasn’t the same fire element either from the feel. 

She pulled her hand away, revealing a triangular Core Crystal that flared with life. It thrummed with a blend of blue and red light. It reminded Rex of blood in the water. Patroka held out both of her hands as if gripping something and a weapon materialized out of the ether. It coalesced into a long polearm with a heavy curved blade at the top, like a cross between a spear and a sword. Deftly she spun the weapon around above her head, splattering rain away in the process. “Are you ready? This’ll be the second time you die today, Driver of the Aegis!”

Perdido sidestepped to make room as Patroka zipped across the deck of the ship, moving much faster than she had before. Even with the shadowy prediction Rex barely had enough time to bring the Greataxe up to deflect. Despite the deflect Rex felt his feet skid backwards from the raw power of her attack. “You’re...a Blade?”

A faint memory from months before tickled at the back of his head, but there wasn’t time to think about it as she was on him with a flurry of stabs and swipes that he was barely able to keep up with. Every blow stung his hands and sent vibrations running up his arms. “Got a problem with that kid?”

“Just surprised is all! I didn’t know Blades could be Drivers!” The Greataxe disappeared from his grip in mid swing and Rex was forced to drop directly backwards to avoid having his head taken off. Hastily he rolled away, barely avoiding getting skewered as she stabbed at him on the ground.

“You can be surprised after you’re dead!” Rex scrambled to his feet and hopped from foot to foot, going backwards to avoid her strikes. A shadow prediction popped into view out of the corner of his eye and he barely managed to avoid it by flipping up and over it. Off to his right Perdido had reformed the ether cannon and was taking aim. 

The next shot he rolled to the left to avoid, but Patroka’s sweeping attack was perfectly timed. She had anticipated his movement and he was heading right into her attack. Rex braced himself and wondered if he would see Elysium again. 

Patroka’s bardiche bounced off a golden ether barrier that formed around him. Instantly the Blade was forced to leap backwards as a bolt of ether energy came flying at her. Rex felt the ether flowing into him surge even greater as Mythra walked forward to stand directly next to him. “You were doing good there. Stealing their weapon was a clever move, but it left you vulnerable.”

He nodded, keeping an eye on Patroka and Perdido as the pair prepared to attack again. “Right.”

“I destroyed Malos’ Blade, but I expect he’ll join this fight momentarily. We need to be wary of Jin joining as well. He’s a strong opponent.” Mythra tried to consider how to end this fight quickly, but only one solution came to mind. A solution she didn’t even want to contemplate.

“With you at my side, I feel like I can take on anyone!” 

Mythra felt her left eye twitch. “Don’t say lines like that with a straight face! Now focus!”

“Gotcha.” Rex surveyed the battlefield. Two opponents straight ahead, Malos slowly approaching from the side, and Jin waiting on the edge. Scattered as far from the fighting as they could get were the various members of the guild who had been on the mission. With no safe path to the Maelstrom they were stuck in the middle of a battle between Drivers and Blades. Not an enviable position. 

“You’ve been using Foresight well so far Rex. But I can tell that you’re still thinking about it too much. Every moment, every reaction, it all has to be as natural as breathing. Now, are you ready?” She held her hands out to him and the river that had been flowing into his body swelled to even greater proportions. Currents that had been dangerous became deadly. Golden light shimmered around his body and the heat haze of excess ether drifted off of his skin.

“Let’s do this new style. Support and then pass.” Rex nodded and gratefully accepted her sword as she handed it off to him. 

Patroka tilted her bardiche up so it rested against her shoulder and then held a hand out toward Malos. “I’m taking my turn. So don’t you dare interfere! This is my hunt and I’m going to slaughter them!”

With an unspoken agreement Patroka’s side and Rex’s side each charged. Perdido fired off several ether shots from the cannon in sequence, but Rex didn’t break stride to block or dodge. Instead he relied on Mythra, who brought up a barrier to keep him safe as they ran. Patroka met them in the middle of the deck and attacked with an incredible ferocity. Rex wasn’t sure his eyes could keep up with the speed of her flurry of thrusts.

He dodged most and deflected some, firing back with his own series of stabs and chopping strikes. Like Gramps had taught him he used a low stance to his advantage, aiming at spots she wouldn’t be used to guarding. Yet even with his enhanced energy he was barely making progress. The affinity link between them was almost blinding as Mythra sent bolts of light ether flying from her hands, pounding away at a desperately formed ether barrier that Perdido had thrown up. She seemed to have his attention away and Malos had stopped to watch.

_‘Don’t think? I’m trying, but how do I not think at all?’_

Growing frustrated he launched a blast of ether from the sword with his next swing, forcing Patroka to defend with her own ether barrier. _‘Oh, right. Since she’s a Blade she can do that too. Damn it…’_

Mythra’s voice cut through his confusion. “Her rhythm is broken! Keep firing those off while she’s off balance!”

“But I don’t want to exhaust you!” Nia’s words of advice ran through his mind. Mythra was already firing her own ether based attacks. If he kept using them as well Mythra would be bled dry and they’d be dead in the water.

Mythra’s response dripped with sarcasm. “Oh yeah, because I must _really_ look like I’m struggling in that department.”

Patroka started to lower her barrier, so Rex shot another ether attack at her, forcing her to keep it in place. Now that he was paying attention, the sensation of ether pouring into him hadn’t flagged for even a second despite Mythra’s own attacks. In fact, Perdido’s barrier had broken and the Blade was frantically trying to deflect her energy attacks. Cracks were starting to form in the various Blade weapons he wielded.

“Don’t think of me as a normal Blade! I’m the Aegis! My power won’t falter!”

“Got it!” Letting go of his hesitation he slashed rapidly with her sword, launching one ether attack after another. Patroka’s barrier shook under the deluge of light and there was clear strain in her eyes as she poured her own ether into it to keep it intact. 

Perdido’s Shieldhammer blew apart alongside the Megalance, leaving him without a weapon. SImultaneously Patroka’s barrier burst and she staggered backwards. Rex’s next blasts struck her dead on and she reeled back in burn, her skin burned by the energy. Perdido ran towards her to try to cover her, but Mytha met him part way with a jumping kick to the back of his head. 

The Blade slammed face first into the deck and slid forward a few meters. Perdido staggered to his feet and turned to defend himself, only to find Rex and Mythra there in front of him side by side. 

“Mythra!” Rex’s Blade grabbed the hilt of the sword with him and their resonating energies surged through it, causing the green energy forming the bulk of the weapon to swell in size. 

With a shout of victory they swung the sword up vertically, a trail of light following in its wake as it bisected Perdido. His scream hung in the air as fire blossomed out from each side of his split body. It flickered and died out as the two pieces crumbled into motes of light. Two halves of a Core Crystal struck the deck like lead weights. 

Mythra released her grip on the Blade, letting Rex take full hold of it again. They focused on Patroka who had recovered her balance and was glaring pure hate at them. 

“Alright Mythra, you’ve had your fun stretching your legs, but this is the end of the line!” The two of them looked to the side to find Malos standing with an outstretched arm. Clutched in that hand was one of the salvagers who dangled in Malos’ grip, the man’s hand palming the salvager’s head. 

“Don’t get me wrong, this was a lot of fun to watch, but I’m not playing around anymore. If you don’t surrender Jin and I will slaughter every single one of these pathetic creatures. How does that sound partner?” There was no laughter in Malos’ voice. There was nothing but pure malice. 

Rex flicked his eyes over to Mythra. “What do we do? We can’t surrender, but we can’t let them die either.”

Mythra didn’t waver. “Our solution is about to present itself. Look off the starboard side.”

He did as she said and there it was, the black ship from Argentum was coming up on the ancient vessel. “I thought I imagined seeing that thing following us. Are they friend or foe?”

“After Jin stabbed you Malos ordered Patroka to contact something he called the Monoceros. That’s got to be their ship which means it’s their way out of here.”

“Well Mythra? I won’t wait much longer!” As if to prove his point Malos squeezed and the salvager screamed in pain. 

Patroka meanwhile had pulled some sort of communication device from one of her pockets and was holding it up. “Mik, if we give the word I want you to bombard the Aegis with everything the Monoceros has got!”

Mythra lowered her hands to her side and let out a deep breath, closing her eyes. The gem on her tiara began to glow brightly and the clouds were pierced by a bright red light. That light touched the black ship that was approaching them. Then another light fell upon the Maelstrom.

Mythra’s eyes snapped open and she stared Malos dead in the eye. “I’ve got an alternative ultimatum for you! The three of you leave on your ship now without hurting anyone. Right now. If you refuse or if you hurt any of these people I’ll obliterate both of your ways out of here!”

Jin took a spot next to Malos and spoke quietly to him. “I might be able to handle her threat.”

“Might. Let’s save that gamble for when it’s absolutely necessary. No reason to play all of our cards right away.” Then loud enough for Mythra to hear he said, “You bargain hard Mythra, but you’ve got a deal. We’ll retreat for now, but you should know this isn’t the end of this.”

Tension filled the air despite Malos’ words. Rex and Mythra remained on guard and the salvagers looked on, desperate for salvation. It was Patroka who broke the silence. “Are you kidding me? Let’s take them down right now Malos!”

Instead of Malos it was Jin who reacted. “We’re retreating, Patroka! Those are your orders!”

Her hands gripped the haft of her bardiche so hard that her fingers started to ache. “Are you kidding me right now? You want me to back down? I can take them!”

Malos tossed his hostage to the side, then he and Jin turned away, walking towards the side of the ship. “I won’t tell you again. Stand down Patroka.”

Patroka howled with rage, her ether swirling around her. Despite that she let the bardiche disappear and turned to follow. “Next time I’ll kill the both of you!”, she snapped at Rex and Mythra. 

Once they reached the edge of the ship they all jumped incredibly high, almost soaring through the air as they launched themselves onto the top of the Monoceros. Malos waved cheekily to them as the black ship began to dive down beneath the Cloud Sea. The three of them disappeared into a hatch moments before the vessel disappeared.

Rex sighed with relief and let the energy blade dissipate from the sword, snapping it behind his back where his junk sword would normally go. He didn’t know where his sword had gone, but he suspected that Mythra’s sword had formed on top of it. 

He looked around at the huddled masses of the guild members who were looking at him and Mythra with awe on their faces. It felt uncomfortable. “I’m glad everyone here is safe, but I wish I had been able to hit Jin at least once.”

Mythra placed a hand on his shoulder and flashed him a cocky grin. “Don’t worry, knowing Malos you’ll get your chance.”

They surveyed the situation as the band of salvagers approached them, already asking questions or extolling their virtues. “So uhh...what do we do now?”

Mythra shrugged. “I say we get this lot to some place safe and then bounce outta here. Where’s the closest safe place we could drop them?”

Rex fished out his Cloud Sea compass and fiddled with it to come up with the answer. “From where we are right now the closest Titan is...Gormott. We could probably take them to Torigoth. There’s a big enough port to dock the Maelstrom and it should be safe enough.”

“Huh? Big port? That’s a pretty big change. Well tell you what, once we drop them off I say we head to White Chair. There’s a few things I need to look into.”

Rex scratched the side of his head. “White Chair? Never heard of it.”

“Never heard of...it’s the capital of Gormott! Did dying knock your memory loose or something?”

“I’m telling you I’ve never heard of it because I’ve never heard of it. Besides, Torigoth is the capital.”

Mythra grimaced. “Five hundred years...really does change the world.”

The awe and admiration on the faces of the salvagers, those eyes desperate for salvation, they clung to her. Stung her. They wanted something. Something she didn’t know if she could deliver. It reminded her of the crowd at Olethro Playhouse. _‘I don’t want your admiration. I just want…’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I keep thinking about what Malos' field skills might be. If I am to be similar to Mythra/Pyra's I'd say it's his elemental mastery so Dark Mastery, then a super frequently used field skill, so for him I'd say Superstrength, and then lastly a "social" field skill. I head canon his fields skills to thus be Dark Mastery, Superstrength, and what I'm calling "Gallows Humor".


	8. Recurrence [Chapter Two: Onward]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, it's the second of these style of chapters. Hope you enjoy.

Semblan 22nd, 3675

Nia opened her eyes for the first time. Completely underwater. She kicked up and away from the sandy bottom. Once she breached the surface she instinctually kept herself afloat with elemental ether. The sounds of the water and ambient noise from animals was all her ears were picking up. A quick survey of her surroundings revealed that she was near the center of a large lake. How had she been Awakened underwater? 

As soon as she spotted a small sandy island nearby she swam over and clambered out. Her clothes were soaked through, but the air was warm so it felt pleasant on her skin. On the other hand her long hair was so thoroughly drenched that it clung uncomfortably to her skin. Cautiously she drew upon ambient water ether, easy while surrounded by a lake, and drew the water off of her. Soon she had collected all of the water on her body into a single floating orb of liquid that she deposited back into the lake. 

“There we go. Nice and dry. But uhh…”, she looked around again. Where was her Driver? All the knowledge she had been born with told her that when a Blade Awakened their Driver should be right there at hand. Was this her first time being Awakened? Did it work differently your first time?

Her ears picked up the sound of sloshing so she turned to look. Sure enough a huge Brog with bulging eyes was emerging from the lake and waddling up onto shore. Its big bulbous eyes latched onto her and it croaked. Loudly. “Yuck...you smell awful.”

She looked away, ignoring it so she could continue searching her surroundings for any sign of her Driver. The Brog trundled closer to her so she took slow methodical steps away from it. Then to be safe she pinched her nose closed with two fingers. The thing really did reek. 

When the Brog approached again a horrible thought ran through her mind. Nia looked carefully at the Brog, narrowing her eyes. “No...oh please tell me I’m wrong.”

Tentatively she opened her connection to the surrounding ether and searched for the similar signal that would come from her Driver’s resonance. Sure enough…

Nia planted a boot on the Brog’s head to stop it from coming any closer. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” Her voice was distorted thanks to her pinched nose.

Just to be sure she opened the pathways through her ether lines and let an affinity link form. And it did. It wasn’t strong, but it was there. A light blue rope of ether. Connecting her and the damned Brog. 

She hissed at the Brog and it lumbered backwards and away from her. “Sheesh. You might not think this is your fault, but it really is. Waddya say big fella? I won’t tell anyone if you don’t.” It croaked in response. 

There was no real sense of understanding or connection through the affinity link. The Brog just recognized via animal instinct that there was a connection between them. “I don’t really want to be your Blade, see? Tell you what. You hang out here and enjoy your lake, I’m going to go and find civilization.”

Ignoring her “Driver” she searched the horizon for any sign of people. Eventually she spotted fishermen on the edge of the lake. Beyond them in the distance she could see a small village. That would have to do.

Off she went, taking the long way by walking through the shallowest points of water, across sandbars, and other small islands in the lake. Taking that path to the village turned out to take the better part of two hours. She hadn’t really felt like swimming the whole way. Who knew what else was in the lake after all.

The villagers of Torigoth turned out to be a friendly lot. There wasn’t much to the village itself, but that was fine. She wasn’t looking for anything in particular. Most of the villagers didn’t question her presence without a Driver. In fact, after a few weeks she realized that most of them didn’t know a single thing about Blades. 

Months passed as she ingratiated herself with the villagers. She got work as a local healer, using her Arts to treat the wounds and aches the residents experienced. In exchange they built her a small home and paid her in food and goods. It was an austere way of life, but it wasn’t unpleasant. 

The teenage boys in the village took a special interest in her, although she never reciprocated. A few of the older men, and two women, began to court her before the year was out. It was flattering, but there was one thing holding her back. Something she had learned during her first week in Torigoth.

Brogs typically lived four to five years. A Brog of the size she described to them was likely near that age. Which meant she had just a year or two to live. So she made it her mission to make it as pleasant and relaxing as she could.

She played catch with the local children. Chatted over tea with the women. Taught a little swordsmanship to those who were interested. Life was fulfilling. Life was peaceful. 

And so it was that less than a year later, on a rainy afternoon, Nia’s Driver slipped from its mortal coil. Nia had been in the middle of a conversation with one of the other villagers when it happened. The old woman was left to collect Nia’s inactive Core Crystal from the ground where it had fallen as they spoke. 

\---------------------

Demartober 19th, 3683

Nia Awakened and introduced herself to her Driver. Sumisumi was a middle aged successful Nopon trader and active member in the Larus Trade Guild. The little pink Nopon, despite being small enough for Nia to pick up and balance in the palms of her hands, turned out to be a fierce trader. 

Sumisumi encouraged Nia to speak her mind and took criticism well, but the Nopon had little interest in learning how to be a Driver. Instead she offered Nia a job as one of her head merchant guards. Sumisumi paid well and was a good employer. Never rude and rarely angry. The six other guards in Sumisumi’s employ were reasonable company. They were a rowdy bunch when given the opportunity, but kept themselves professional when on the job.

Nia found the life of a merchant guard boring and far from fulfilling. When Nia expressed her dissatisfaction with her employer the little Nopon had suggested Nia take up a different trade. In fact, Sumisumi began to give Nia lessons in how to be a successful trader. 

Unfortunately, despite Nia’s best efforts it seemed to be something she was unsuited to. Her tendency to crack jokes or openly mock others for their stupidity was less than well received by potential clients. Many also seemed automatically ill at ease when they were set to talk to a Blade about business. 

Nia tried her hand at carving, painting, stonework, and even construction. All of them felt wrong to her. When she wasn’t on shift she would find her way to a bar and cure her boredom and dissatisfaction with life by drowning unpleasant thoughts with liquor. Here she found something that she was good at. Not the drinking. Getting into the good graces of other drunks.

She gradually became an expert at chatting up drunkards and finding out details of their life. Those details became business opportunities and even the occasional fling. The contacts she gained from her drinking buddies made Sumisumi even richer and more of those funds landed in Nia’s hands. Without any other interests she threw that money at gambling and drinking.

Cards at the pub became standard practice for her. It would be kind to say she was decent at the games she played. Typically she lost more than she won, but playing proved to be fun enough that she wasn’t bothered. 

Nia flitted from partner to partner. Some were kind, some were cruel, and most eventually bored her. Steadily Sumisumi grew older and wealthier. The number of people in Sumisumi’s employ grew from six to eleven and eventually ballooned to eighty-two. Sumisumi rarely handled any trade deals personally and many said that she was a shoe-in for the next Chairwoman of the Larus Trade Guild. 

Twenty-three years after her Awakening Nia was named Vice President of Acquisitions at Sumisumi Merchants Limited. A fancy title that meant she was in charge of handling all product purchases, transport, and storage. Every aspect of the job was duller than the last. The night life she had relied on in her earlier years grew dull. She spent three years dating an Indoline woman who, as it turned out, was married. 

The backlash from the husband, who it turned out was a man of middling importance in the Praetorium, nearly got Nia fired. The jilted husband then spent the next four years systematically undermining all of Sumisumi Merchants Limited’s business efforts. They lost contract after contract and Sumisumi’s aspirations for the Chairwoman job slipped away. 

Within an additional five years the company was bankrupt. Soon Sumisumi was indebted to a less than reputable batch of investors operating out of Indol. When Sumisumi was in deep they called in the debt. Sure enough the Indoline husband was behind it. Now that the man had scooped up their lost contracts he had risen to prominence in the Praetorium. 

Sumisumi didn’t last long against their not-so tender ministrations. Nia cut down a dozen men in her rescue attempt, but she had failed to anticipate her major weakness. When things looked hopeless for the debt collectors they executed her Driver. 

And thus thirty-six years after Awakening, Nia’s Core Crystal clattered to the cement floor of a warehouse, surrounded by criminals.

\------------------------

Amalthatober 9th, 3721

Nia opened her eyes in a huge chamber. The walls and ceilings stretched far in every direction and every inch of the colossal room was gilded or decorated. She stood in front of a throne upon which sat an Indoline man in regal robes. Keen and unblinking yellow eyes peered out at her from an unlined and handsome azure face. “Are...you my Driver?”

The yellow eyed Indoline raised an eyebrow and without speaking gestured with one hand to his left. There stood one of the Indoline Warrior Monks, except instead of the normal staff he held Nia’s blade in his upturned hands. “This fine gentleman is your Driver. For the moment.”

_‘For...the moment?’_

Her Driver, the Indoline Monk, inclined his head toward her. She couldn’t even see the monk’s face, covered as it was by their traditional mask. “I don’t understand. What do you mean?” And why did it still feel like the other man was her Driver? A part of her was certain that if she tried she would be able to create an affinity link between either of them, but that was impossible. Wasn’t it?

To the right of the throne stood an attractive woman wearing fanciful robes of white and red. Her reddish brown hair ran down the small of her back and fluttering around her neck and behind her head was a golden cloth. She wore a tiara with a single piece of burnished metal that dangled to the middle of her forehead. Clutched in her right hand was a staff with a glittering blue arched top. The woman smiled beatifically at Nia and held her left hand to the diamond shaped Core Crystal at the top of her chest. “Greetings Nia. It’s so nice to meet you.”

“Uh hi. Could someone explain what’s going on?” Her Driver suddenly planted her sword point first into the floor.

“Do not repeat yourself to the Praetor, Blade! You will receive those answers he deigns to provide.” 

The man on the throne, the Praetor apparently, raised a hand up to the Warrior Monk. “It’s alright. I do not mind. Now please, Nia. Speak your mind. What is it you wish to know? I’m sure any questions you have can be answered by myself or my Blade, Haze.”

Nia gave her Driver the stink eye and then refocused her attention on the Praetor and Haze. “Uh, well for starters I was wondering what you meant when you said ‘for now’?”

Haze offered her a friendly smile. “That’s a little complicated. The simple answer is that you will become the Blade of a member of the Gormotti Nobility. The full answer will take some explaining.”

Nia crossed her arms and scowled. No nice smiles were going to fix this nonsense. “Well spill it. How could I possibly change Drivers? You planning on bopping this guy off or something? And why does it feel like the Praetor here is my Driver just as much as this jerk?”

The Praetor narrowed his eyes slightly, but his expression was neutral again almost immediately. “Fascinating. You’re the first Blade I’ve encountered who could tell. You must have an excellent understanding of the flow of ether.”

“Oi. Don’t try to brush the question off by flattering me. Come on, fess up. You’re really my Driver, aren’t you?” She wouldn’t let them lead her around by the nose. She shot a suspicious look at Haze, but her fellow Blade just kept smiling at her.

“Tell me, Nia.” The Praetor’s words seemed to fill the room. “What do you know of the Aegis War?”

Nia squinted and furrowed her brow, but nothing came to her. “Dunno. Doesn’t ring a bell.”

“Just over one hundred and fifty years ago, before I was Praetor, I ascended to the heavens, climbing the World Tree in search of Elysium itself. What I found and brought back with me were the Holy Messengers of the Architect. The Core Crystals of the Aegises.” 

Elysium? Architect? Wasn’t that stuff all kids stories?

“Young and foolish I resonated with one of those precious Core Crystals, Awakening the first Aegis. That story is long and doesn’t require telling at the moment. As part of resonating with the Aegis, a holy Blade, I gained the power of a Master Driver. Among the talents I came to discover was the ability to resonate with any Blade. Even one that already possesses a Driver. It is this ability I believe you have sensed.”

“A holy Blade and special Driver privileges? Seriously?” 

Haze chuckled, her laugh a pleasant cheerful sound. “It certainly does sound ridiculous, but I assure you it’s true. I’ve been the Praetor’s Blade for a very long time now and I can attest to the Praetor’s abilities.”

Nia was still skeptical, but what they said did explain what she was feeling. “Okay, assuming that’s true, what about the other part?”

The Praetor looked to the Warrior Monk, who stood unflinching with his palms on the hilt of Nia’s weapon. “Sacrificing the life of one of my monks is the furthest thing from my mind. No, instead we will use a certain device that our scientists created with my aid.”

“Howssat?” Now there was a special device involved too?

“Building off of my ability to resonate with the Blades of others we uncovered a means by which a Driver can destabilize their resonance long enough to pass that affinity on to another. The resultant creation, an Overdrive Protocol, makes this all possible. Creating one is time consuming and exceptionally expensive so they aren’t of practical use, especially since the unit is destroyed upon usage, but they offer unique political value.”

The Praetor leaned forward slightly, his hands gripping the edge of his throne. “To be blunt, you will be one of a few test cases.”

“So I’m what? A slave to be sold to the highest bidder? Is that it?” Bile rose in her throat. Was that what she was to these people? A pawn to be passed around. 

Haze stepped up to her, the woman’s eyes filled with worry. “No, of course not Nia! In fact, the only reason we had one of our own Awaken you was to be sure of who you are. Some of our agents tracked your Core Crystal from the hands of some Urayan merchants operating in Indol. There were enough records that we were fairly certain of the Blade’s identity, but we had to be certain.”

“And that’s supposed to make me feel better about being treated like merchandise?” Haze seemed to flounder for words to say.

The Praetor didn’t. “No, it isn’t. It is an unfortunate fact of life. The world that the Architect created can often be a cruel one. It is up to us to make the best of that world. It is my belief that as a Blade your path is tied to Gormott.”

“Psh, easy of you to say. I don’t have any kind of special belief in the Architect myself. Although if this is how I’m treated here, maybe I will be better off in Gormott.” 

The Praetor nodded his head, his expression firm. “Excellent. Until it is time for you to depart I will have Haze accompany you on a tour through Indol. Perhaps one day our paths will cross again.”

“Well I certainly hope not.” Nia turned to leave and almost flinched at the sight of how damned long the chamber was. She had been hoping to stalk out dramatically after saying that, but now she’d just have to slink away awkwardly.

Partway into her march out of the room she was joined on her right side by the Blade Haze. “I’m sorry your Awakening has been so difficult. Praetor Amalthus is a kind man, but he can be a little too practical at times. The unfortunate part of running a powerful nation.”

Nia stuck her tongue out. “That’s what I think of your Praetor. Just sounds like excuses for mistreating Blades.”

She picked up her pace, but Haze matched her stride for stride. Damned tall people with their long legs. Well, taller people anyway. 

Haze kept up her defense of her precious Praetor. “It’s awful, but there’s more to it than the Praetor explained. I think he didn’t want to offer too many excuses. You see, a treaty now exists between Indol and the rest of Alrest’s nations. The Praetor cleanses Core Crystal to increase the likelihood of resonance and controls the flow of Blades to the other countries. As a concession members of the Praetorium military and government are not permitted to bond with a Blade.”

“And what’s that make you?” 

“One of a small number of exceptions. Blades whose resonance predated the treaty are exempt. So you see, we had to Awaken you to make certain of your identity before sending you to the Gormotti nobility. They were requesting a healer of particular skill and you fit that need. As well as a few other details. It would break our treaty for you to remain the Blade of an Indoline Warrior Monk.” Everything Haze said made sense, but that didn’t mean Nia had to like it.

Without warning Haze looped one of her arms through Nia’s. “Come on! Let me make it up to you by giving you a nice girl’s day in Indol! No stuffy tour, just two Blades enjoying the sights, some good food, and maybe even a few drinks.”

“Well…”, Haze tugged at her arm. “Now that you say that, it doesn’t sound so bad. I suppose.”

And as much as she didn’t want to admit it, she did end up having fun with Haze. At one point, a few drinks in, Haze had drunkenly told her that she suspected Amalthus would have tried to bond her had the treaty not been in place. “He likes Blades with unique skills, see?”, Haze had slurred. “Nobody else has ever been able to sense his ability to resonate with any Blade. You’re unique. Like me!”

The next morning, Haze, Nia, and the monk departed on a ship bound for Gormott. Haze and Nia spent the journey chatting. Idly Nia found herself wondering what it would have been like if the Praetor had been her Driven. Haze seemed like fun, but it probably wouldn’t have been worth it.

On their arrival in the Gormotti capital of White Chair they were ushered into an elaborate greeting by a band of nobles. There was an exchange of presents between the two nations and then a formal transfer of Nia’s bond from the warrior monk to a Gormotti man in his early twenties. Even before the transfer was complete she could sense through the ether that this man was very ill.

When all was said and done Haze and the other nobles departed, leaving Nia and her Driver to return to the man’s mansion accompanied by an entourage of guards. Her Driver began to excitedly explain why they went to such great lengths. Apparently she was one of the earliest Blades recorded in the history of Torigoth, an up and coming trade port. 

The records were scarce, but it seemed that the records of Nia’s status as a healer and a Blade of similar appearance to a Gormotti woman made her the ideal Blade for a noble family. Her Driver admitted to having several health issues that needed constant maintenance which is why she had been given to him. 

He insisted that she would be treated excellently and provided with all the creature comforts his wealth could provide. Although Nia was still peeved at the idea of being passed around, the idea of being pampered didn’t sound so bad. Especially compared to being the Blade of a stoic Indoline monk.

“Our records said you spoke like a Gormotti, but it seems that isn’t the case. For the sake of appearances I’d like to teach you to do so.”

“What, like this?” She shifted her accent to her best imitation and her Driver clapped excitedly. 

“Yes yes! Oh this is wonderful. Please, I’d like you to keep that up at all times if at all possible.” She shrugged. It was pretty easy to assume the accent so she saw no reason not to.

The next forty-three years were a series of social events such as balls, parties, and political gatherings. She treated her Driver’s frailties and was given whatever food, clothes, jewels, or forms of entertainment that she could possibly want. The Gormotti nobility treated her like she was one of their number, but behind her back they would whisper how impressive a Gormotti she made. For a Blade. 

The end was finally coming for her Driver. Even with her expert care there was a limit to how long his life could be prolonged. As her Driver’s last days grew closer certain realizations struck her harder and harder. Her Driver’s family had treated her almost as if she was a member of their own house. Yet now, as her Driver withered in his bed growing closer and closer to death not a single one of them seemed sad for _her_.

They were so forlorn over the pending death of a member of their family, but not a single one of them acknowledged that her Driver’s death would also mean her own. It was infuriating to know that her life, theoretically immortal, was tied to her Driver. 

Nia would be passed down to a young scion of the house and reawakened, but none of them seemed to take it to mean that she, the Nia they knew, would still be dead. Not a single one of them seemed to consider the possibility that she might be upset at the prospect of her own death. None of them tried to console her, not even her Driver who should know better what it was like than any of them.

Nia’s last thoughts were resentment that a Blade’s life was so deeply tied to their Driver and that, in the end, she had never been anything other than a fancy slave. Pampered, well fed, but still taken out to balls to impress other nobles and more belonging to her driver and his family than being part of that family.

It was all so absurd.


	9. Resonance and Rest

Patroka’s fist clanged heavily against the metal wall. “Damn it! She was bluffing, don’t you see that? If you had started cutting down those Humans she would have surrendered!”

Jin didn’t even look back at her, he just kept walking away down the hall. “Possibly. However, if the Monoceros had been destroyed our plans would have been negatively impacted. As it stands, we still have future opportunities to capture the Aegis.”

She opened her hand and gripped the metal, ether flowing through her body. With the earth element ether running through her veins the metal began to twist between her fingers. “And Jin! What about that ability of yours? Didn’t you say you could defend against an attack by her Artifice?”

A powerful hand clenched around her wrist and tugged her away from the wall and then spun her around. Malos stood there, looming over her. “No, Jin said he _thought_ he could block it. There haven’t exactly been opportunities to test it out. If he was wrong we would still have lost the Monoceros. As it stands we’ve lost nothing but time.”

Patroka wrenched her free from his vice grip. It galled her that she wasn’t sure if she would have been able to do so if he hadn’t let go at the last second. “Lost nothing? Funny. I remember starting the mission with there being five of us. Let’s see how many I count right now. One, two, three, oh wait. Just three.”

Malos shrugged dismissively. “If a few have to be sacrificed for the sake of our goals is that really a loss? Those two were useful in battle, but they don’t possess any crucial abilities that Torna requires.”

Looking past Malos, Patroka saw that Jin had already turned a corner and gone out of sight. “You’re starting to piss me off Malos. In your current state I’m confident I could kill you myself if it came to it. The Aegis would demolish you. How in the hell were the Aegis and her Driver keeping so ahead of us in battle? There’s no way that kid could keep up with me, but it was like he knew my moves ahead of time.”

The dark haired man grinned in that sarcastic manner that he often used. It always pissed her off. “Beats me. Mythra did the same thing to me. When I was at full strength I didn’t notice it as much, but you’re right. Without recovering fully I can’t take Mythra one on one. I doubt we’ll find a way to counter whatever ability it is that she’s using, so we’ll just have to defeat her with brute force.”

“If that’s the case then I say we Awaken new Blades. You want the crew to be small, but every extra hand helps.” She dug into her pocket and withdrew the Core Crystal she had taken from the kid. She tossed it underhanded over to Malos, who caught it with one hand.

“Well, you’re a sly girl aren’t you? Snuck that away while Jin wasn’t looking, did you?” He tossed the Core Crystal up into the air and then caught it again. It seemed to leave a trail of light in its path.

Patroka folded her arms across her chest and looked away from him. “That kid had a second Core Crystal on him. I left the other one like Jin said. He gets too sentimental sometimes.”

Malos laughed in that taunting way he had. “It’s almost a pity. I liked her sass. She’d have been amusing to have around.”

He clenched his hand around the Core Crystal and it burst with inner light. A flash of ether filled the room and Malos held a pair of circular edged Blade weapons, a type Patroka recognized as Twin Rings. On all fours in front of Malos there was a beast form Blade with white fur and black stripes. It looked like a big predatory cat. Unique beast form Blades were pretty rare. 

The new Blade inclined his head to Malos. “Greetings. I am called Dromarch.”

Lazily Malos spun the Twin Rings on one finger and looked down at Dromarch with a frighteningly fake smile. “Well Dromarch, welcome to Torna. I am Malos, your Driver.”

Dromarch rumbled back in a deep voice. “My thanks. It would be my pleasure to grant you my power, My Lord.”

Malos laughed with what sounded like genuine delight. “My Lord is it?” He hooked the Blade weapons at his waist and planted a big hand on top of Dromarch’s head, ruffling the beast Blade’s fur. “I think you’ll do just fine.”

_‘Great,”_ thought Patroka. _‘Somebody to boost his ego even further. Just what we needed around here.’_

She turned to go so she could leave Malos to “getting to know” his new Blade. Not that Malos had put much effort into getting along with Sever. That man didn’t seem to care about the lives of normal Blades. Even for her sometimes they felt like an entirely different species. 

Malos called out to her as she walked away. “What about you? Gonna ask Mikhail for one of those spare Core Crystals?”

“I’ll pick one out the next time I go hunting.” She stalked away, getting far from Malos. Her feet carried her to her cramped room aboard the Monoceros. It lacked personality, but it was neat and clean the way she liked it. Her proper room was aboard the Marsanes, but it would take a while before they arrived. Then she would have to deal with Akhos and Obrona. 

Patroka shoved her door shut, locked it, and then sat heavily down on her bunk. The weight left her and her shoulders slumped forward. One of her hands came up and clutched the side of her head as she fought back what was trying to overwhelm her. Her other other came up to rest on her tainted Core Crystal, red and blue. The sign of a Flesh Eater. “Damn it...damn it...it’s happening again…”

Beyond her control the tears started to come, raining down upon the metal floor. Her body shook as she struggled against the sobs that tried to rip her apart. “Perdido...damn it I’m so sorry...I…”

She could still see it in her head. Perdido’s entire body sliced in half like he was made of cloth. Wiped off the face of Alrest, never to Awaken again. “Those bastards I won’t forgive them…”

Other scenes played themselves out in her head. Her former Driver’s smiling face, laughing at something stupid her brother said. Akhos standing on a stump trying to get the rest of them to listen to whatever overly dramatic scene he had just written. Her former Driver lying motionless on the ground, hair matted with blood, her face no longer smiling. The Indoline Warrior Monks standing above her, their staffs dripping with her own blood. That lonely grey cell aboard that Tantalese ship where they waited to arrive at the land of their death. 

The tears came fast and strong, her face burned and her eyes stung. Earth ether roiled through her and the ether lines that formed her veins swelled near to bursting, at their utmost limit. “I won’t lose again...I’ll kill them...I won’t let them…”

The face of that cheerful brat, the Aegis’ Driver, shimmered in her mind. How happy he had looked in that room, accepting the job with his Blade at his side. The assurance that the two offered each other like Driver and Blade should. But even so, wasn’t it still just the position of master and slave? Yet she couldn’t shake his happy voice out of her head or the rage in the boy’s voice when he had accused Jin of killing his Blade. Killing. 

When was the last time she had been happy? Truly happy? No answer came to her. Instead all she saw was the revulsion and horror on the faces of happy little Humans at the sight of her Core. “Damn it...I’m not supposed to be like this...I’m supposed to be…”

Strong. Self-sufficient. Unconquerable. Yet she couldn’t stop the waves of tears or the powerful sobs that shook her from head to toe. 

\---------------------------

Lord Caldridge looked up from the paperwork he was examining. His secretary had come charging in, looking in a tizzy. “What is it? I’m busy at the moment.”

“Sir, I wanted to give you the report as soon as possible. The dock masters are rushing about and one of your shipments might be disrupted. Sir, the Maelstrom is requesting clearance to dock!” 

Lord Caldridge rose to his feet, abandoning his paperwork. “The Maelstrom? A vessel of that size should have given advance notice and scheduling! What does Bana think he’s doing? Does he think he can just brute force his way past other people’s business?”

“Sir, it seems the crew of the Maelstrom sent a message an hour ahead of arrival. They say they were attacked by terrorists and want emergency clearance.”

Terrorists? Attacking the Maelstrom? How stupid would someone have to be to endanger the interests of Chairman Bana and the Argentum Trade Guild? “It’s ridiculous, but the Dockmaster has final say in these circumstances. Still, I want a representative to demand restitution for the shipping delays this will cause me.”

His secretary shuffled her feet nervously. “Sir there’s...something else. Something you should see.”

“Yes, what is it?” His secretary reached into a coat pocket and unfurled three sheets of pressed paper and passed them to Lord Caldridge, her hands shaking.

“Chairman Bana’s aide de camp was apparently on board and sent a report with partial details of the assailants. The terrorists have been identified as members of Torna and bounty posters have been updated with their likenesses.” Why in the world did she look so terrified?

Feeling a growing sense of nervousness at the mention of Torna he rolled out the papers on his desk and slid them apart so he could examine them separately. One was a stern eyed woman whose countenance meant nothing to him, but the other two…

Mr. Dark Hair and Mr. Silver Hair. So, his suspicions had been correct. He had been engaging in business with a pair of dangerous terrorists. Although they had been cautious there would be numerous individuals who had seen those two entering his domicile on more than one occasion. If anyone made the connection and reported it his standing amongst the Noble Houses and with the Ardainian Consulate would be in dire jeopardy. 

“Sir!” Lord Caldridge jerked back to awareness, realizing suddenly that he had crumpled up the bounty papers in his hands. 

“We need to prepare for damage control. Just in case I want you to prepare official statements condemning the criminals of Torna and pledging my House’s support to bringing them to justice. And get Chairman Bana on the line as soon as possible!”

He wouldn’t let this ruin him. His House had risen to prominence in the wake of the disastrous War of Occupation and in the roughly fifty years since they had proven themselves resilient against all internal and external forces. 

What he needed were powerful allies. His operation months ago to reclaim the House Echell signet ring had won him accolades from the other Houses, but those had been short lived. As the youngest of the Houses he had few true allies among the nobility. Much older alliances between nobles would run deeper. 

What leverage did he have? Could he make Bana an ally? Perhaps the disgusting Consul Dughall? No, no, no...there was a piece he was missing. Some information that he lacked. He couldn’t act until he knew more. 

Still, if the worst situation came about he might be able to leverage information to Indol. He had secrets to trade. Secrets about Gormott, about Mor Ardain, and about…

Yes, that was it. If the need arose he would give Indol everything they needed to know in order to apprehend that Flesh Eater. 

\-------------------------

When the Throne of Mor Ardain spoke, Mor Ardain listened. Or so the saying went. News rumbled through the Senate floor. Details were scarce, but there were a few things that were certain. A ship representing the Argentum Trade Guild had been attacked by the terrorist organization known as Torna the previous night. That same vessel would be docking at Torigoth within less than an hour based on the estimation of several experts. 

Lastly, the Special Inquisitor had been dispatched to investigate the situation in Gormott. Along with one of their mightiest and largest Titan Battleships with a full cadre of soldiers in tow. 

Another saying in Mor Ardain was that where the Special Inquisitor walked, the word of the Throne of Mor Ardain followed. 

\------------------------

Somewhere upon the Cloud Sea a man with shoulder length blonde hair stood watching a hijacked transmission between the Chairman of the Argentum Trade Guild and the Ardainian Consul of the Gormotti Province. 

The man stroked his chin in thought and puffed merrily away at a cigar. The conversation concluded and the man began to grin, the cigar momentarily dangling. “Well ain’t that interesting…”

\-------------------

Rex left a message with the Dockmaster to be transmitted to Argentum. It was a simple request for Gramps to come and pick him up in Torigoth. He hadn’t gone into any detail about what had transpired on that job. That would have to wait until he saw Gramps in person. 

It had been raining lightly upon their arrival in Torigoth, but by the time they had finished docking procedures the skies were growing bright again. As they made their way up the stairs to the upper levels of the city Rex couldn’t help but notice the amazement on Mythra’s face as she looked around. It must be quite a change to her eyes compared to what she had seen five hundred years before.

Rex had felt so sure of himself talking to her in that memory of Elysium. Felt so in tune with her during their battle on the ancient ship. Yet now he felt like he had no idea what to say to her. For one thing, he didn’t really understand what it meant to be the Aegis. Some sort of special legendary Blade, but what did any of that actually _mean_?

The way she carried herself was so self-assured it was like...well like she was walking around with an ether barrier up all the time. Her power had been incredible and with it they had saved the entire crew of the Maelstrom. They had accomplished something wonderful and even defeated two members of what the other salvagers were saying was a dangerous terrorist organization.

Despite all that, there had been a far away look in Mythra during their night journey. She had kept far away from the rest of the crew and ignored their praise and thanks. There had been something in her eyes then that he couldn’t define. An expression he wasn’t able to identify. 

She turned heads as they walked, but her eyes never wavered. They remained straight ahead, her golden hair flowing out behind her and giving her an elegant almost ethereal appearance. Was it her beauty they were paying attention to or was it the power she seemed to radiate.

Rex found that his hand kept drifting to the pouch where Nia’s inactive Core Crystal rested. Mythra had assured him that eventually it would shine again, in a few days or weeks or more. But after seeing Perdido’s Core Crystal destroyed he couldn’t help worrying. He had more than once on their trip to Torigoth surreptitiously inspected Nia’s Core Crystal for any sign of damage. There had been none that he could find, but the thought wouldn’t go away.

Mythra’s eyes finally wavered. He had been watching her so closely that he saw the moment. Her eyes, as golden as his own, had moved to track a young Gormotti boy who had come running by. Rex followed her gaze, trying to see what she saw. The freckled boy couldn’t have been more than ten years old. For just that brief moment Mythra’s eyes had held that same far away look from before.

They crossed the bridge above the docks and made their way into the hub-bub of the city. For all the chaos and violence that had taken place the previous night Torigoth seemed as bubbling with life as ever. Of course there was no change. Why would there have been? 

His own gaze momentarily drifted towards the residential area where he knew Mabon and Vess lived. Should he go see them? Tell them what had happened to Nia? How would he even explain it? Nia’s death, the x shaped emerald Core Crystal imbedded in his chest, and Mythra herself. Her own Core Crystal had taken on a different appearance than it had in the memory of Elysium. It held most of its original shape, but there was a section missing that matched what was on Rex now. He wasn’t sure he understood what to make of that either.

“So umm...we should probably get some food and rooms at the inn, right?” Mythra looked over at him out of the corner of her eye as he spoke. “Neither of us have eaten or slept in a while. Well, except for those ration bars I had.”

Mythra rolled her eyes. “Those definitely don’t count as food. I’m always up for some grub. I want to see what this new Torigoth is like as well.” 

“Alright. Got any preferences?” 

She tapped the tip of her nose with a finger. “Hmmm...well I guess right now I’d say something meaty sounds good. Maybe next time we could buy some ingredients and I could cook something up.”

Rex gave her a big grin. “Sounds awesome! Come on, let me show you a place!”

He led her toward the central market, heading towards a little side shop that he knew sold some tasty meat dishes. Rex could hear some sort of commotion going on and briefly saw the signs of a crowd gathered in the central market area, but they could take a look at that later. They ordered and as soon as it came time to pay Rex found himself patting his pockets and digging into his water proof pouch. 

“Umm...I coulda sworn I…” The shopkeeper scowled and waved them away, telling them to come back when they had money. 

Rex pounded a hand against his thigh in frustration. “Damn it! One of those bastards stole it!”

Mythra shrugged. “It’s just money. Listen, maybe we could head out into the wild and hunt up some ingredients.”

He shook his head, sighing. “It’s not that. Sure the money's gone, but I had a Core Crystal with me. One that I had been waiting to Awaken until we were a bigger place so that there could be three of us. They stole that too.”

“Rex, I’m sorry. They’ve taken a lot from you, haven’t they?” There was a momentary soft quality to her voice that wasn’t there, her voice quieter and even the cadence of her speech seemed different. It was nice to know she was concerned. 

“It’s alright I suppose. Nothing I can do about it, but...I’m still angry. I never knew that Blade, but it was like I was waiting to have a new friend or something and now they’re gone. Before I ever got to know them. Is that weird?” 

She ran a gloved hand through her blonde hair and squeezed her eyes closed for a moment. “I’m not sure I’m the best when it comes to judging what is and isn’t weird. Drivers and Blades...they carry a special bond that most people can’t understand. It’s a unique connection. So losing that connection, in any form, it makes sense that it would hurt.”

He nodded and flashed her a smile. “Thanks. I appreciate you saying that.” Rex paused in thought, considering her words for a moment longer. “You know it’s strange given what an arsehole he turned out to be, but even Jin said something similar. A Driver and Blade are one in body and soul.”

Mythra chuckled a little and suddenly her manner of speech was the same as it usually would be. “That’s a dorky way of saying it, but I guess I get it. Jeez, it seems like no matter what lifetime Jin talks like a poet. A bad one at that.”

Rex laughed with her, but then scratched at the side of his head with one finger. “Actually, he said he heard it from someone he knew. So you ummm...you knew Jin in one of his past lives?”

She shrugged like it didn’t matter, but her eyes had lost some of their luster as she talked. “Knew him? I guess. We were allies in battle for a time. He was always a little perfect for his own good and I always thought he was kinda a jerk, but it’s a strange feeling. Seeing someone who fought side by side with you on the opposite side. I guess that’s just the way of it with us Blades.”

Mabon had said something similar. Even mentioning that he had seen a few Blades he had known as a child now marching at the side of Ardainian soldiers. Their former enemies. “Well I guess we should try to rustle up some food outside of the city like you said. Come on, I’ll show you the way.”

They made their way further into town, passing the fountain and the inn. At that point they had to slowly wind their way through a press of bodies. A crowd had formed close to the town’s entrance, forming a semi-circle around some sort of tent. There were some Ardainian soldiers in their gas mask helmets shouting to the crowd.

Mythra was taller than he was, but even she was pretty short. Neither of them could see over the crowd so it was difficult to tell what was going on. Then Rex noticed something he hadn’t before. The press of the crowd was weaker around them then it was around anyone else. People just naturally gave way for a Driver and Blade. 

When they got closer Rex saw and heard what was really going on. The Ardainian soldiers were extolling the virtues of serving the Empire and joining the ranks of the military. They had a small table set up and on it was a Core Crystal. “Huh. You know I knew they did Driver recruitment, but this is the first time I’ve seen it happen.”

At this point they were close to the front of the crowd, looking on. “Even five hundred years ago the militaries of different countries desperately tried to recruit Drivers. It’s a dangerous gamble though.”

Rex nodded knowingly. “Everybody tells me. I’ve never seen what happens if you try to resonate and you don’t have the potential, but I’ve heard it can be bad.”

“Anything less than severe injury or death is pretty uncommon. If you can’t hack it as a Driver, you’re lucky if you don’t die.” She dropped into a squat and propped her chin up by supporting her arm with elbow on knee. “I’ve only seen what can happen once.”

Rex looked around at the crowd, some of whom were eyeing Mythra like she was rude or crazy for not staying standing with people all around. For her part Mythra seemed to take it as her due that nobody would bump into her. With a shrug Rex followed her lead and knelt down. “I’m kinda curious. If something bad happens you don’t happen to have any healing Arts, do you?”

Mythra shook her head. “I’m not that kind of Blade. If you want something dead I’m your gal, but outside of that…”

Rex nudged her with his elbow. “Everybody has their wheelhouse. And anyone who offers to cook is top class in my book.”

She pointedly looked away from him and muttered, “whatever.” She didn’t look unhappy though.

A large bearded Gormotti man had pushed his way through the crowd, demanding that people stand aside. “All right, c’mon Blade boyo! Show me whatcha got!” 

The Gormotti man stepped forward and began to reach out for the Core Crystal. When his hand was just centimeters away Mythra’s expression changed. She looked...frustrated. “Well he’s as good as dead.”

“Huh? Wait, you can tell?” She shrugged, but gave him a brief nod. “Well let’s say something! C’mon!”

Rex jumped to his feet and grabbed Mythra by the hand, pulling her up with him. She yelped, but let herself be pulled along. “Wait! Stop!” 

The Gormotti man turned and scowled at them. “Hey now, you got yer own Blade! Don’t go getting in the way!”

The soldiers looked a little confused, but one of them stepped around the table. “Please don’t interfere. If you’re looking for the opportunity to join the great military of the Empire of Mor Ardain, we have sign-up paperwork on hand.”

Rex shook his head. “It’s not that! This guy,” he jerked a thumb at the Gormotti hopeful, “doesn’t have the aptitude to become a Driver.”

“Who do you think you are boyo? I’ve got potential coming out my arse!” 

Mythra cocked her head to the side, hands on her hips. “What’s coming out your ass is about the only potential you’ve got. If you try to resonate you’ll die.”

Rex nodded and looked back and forth between the Gormotti fellow and the two soldiers. “It’s true. My Blade was able to tell moments before he tried to Awaken the crystal and we couldn’t stand by and let someone get hurt. Or worse.”

The closest of the two soldiers set his rifle butt first against the ground and tilted his head down a little to look at Rex. “A Blade that can tell if someone has aptitude. I’ve never heard of anything like it. How do we know you’re telling the truth?”

“What would be the point of us lying idiot?” Mythra’s voice was so packed full of scorn that the soldier actually flinched a little.

“Well...you’ve got a point there. Now hold on a moment, let us talk this over.” The soldier walked back to his companion and they began to talk quietly. The Gormotti demanded to have his opportunity, but the soldiers shushed him. 

Rex looked at Mythra expectantly. She raised an eyebrow right back. “What? You look like you’re waiting for something.”

“Huh? Oh I…”, he had been. He lowered his head a little, feeling downcast. “I guess I was expecting you to tell me what they were saying, but that’s stupid. Force of habit.”

“Why would you think I could…”, the realization of what Rex’s words meant hit her and she grimaced. “Don’t worry about it. Okay?”

The soldiers seemed to have finished their consultation and they approached Rex and Mythra. “How easily can you tell if someone has the aptitude? Just by looking at them or is there some special method?”

Mythra shook her head. “Not as easily as just looking, but it’s not much harder. Just before someone touches the Core Crystal, whether they plan on resonating with it or not, the Core Crystal tries to connect with them. I can feel that moment like a ripple in the ether. Core Crystals want to be Awakened, just like Driver hopefuls want to Awaken Core Crystals.”

“Would you be willing to help us find someone to resonate with this core?” 

“Let me talk it over with my Driver.” Mythra turned and leaned in to whisper to Rex. “What do you think?”

“I’m not sure how I feel about helping the army recruit more Drivers, but I don’t want somebody dying if I know we can prevent it. Argh, it’d be easier to figure this out if I weren’t so hungry.” Mythra’s face went blank, and then she smiled widely at him. It was a wonderful thing to behold.

Mythra stood back up to her full height and addressed the soldiers. “My Driver and I are short on cash and we haven’t eaten since yesterday, so I’ve got an offer for you. First, get us something tasty. Preferably meaty. Second, if anyone in this crowd turns out to have the aptitude, you’ve got to pay us. Plus you’ve still got to pay us for our time even if nobody here has what it takes.”

Once again the soldiers consulted. By this time the Gormotti man from earlier had sat down cross legged nearby and was glaring at them. Finally the soldiers broke apart from their conversation. “Since we don’t know for sure you’re telling the truth, we agree to the first and second terms. If we get a Driver out of it, you’ll get five thousand gold. Five hundred if there’s no one.”

“Call it fifty thousand and you’ve got a deal.”

“Fifty thousand! That’s preposterous!” 

Mythra shrugged and acted as if she were about to walk away. “That’s the deal.”

The soldier reached out to forestall her. “Alright, alright! We’ll get you the food, but you’ll have to wait while we send someone to talk to our Captain. We’d need permission for those kinds of funds.”

Rex grinned and stepped forward, holding out a hand. Tentatively the soldier shook it. “The deal’s the deal! You heard the lady. Something meaty please.”

The two soldiers set up getting the wheels running. One of them began to explain most of the situation to the crowd, telling them that anyone would have the opportunity to safely find out if they had the potential to become a Driver. The other fetched another soldier and sent that man running to get their Captain. After that the second man went off to buy them food.

Within ten minutes Rex and Mythra were sitting on a box side by side, eating a steamed bun stuffed with lightly spiced meat. There were also raisins inside which was a neat little addition that Rex appreciated. Mythra attacked her food with gusto and sighed with satisfaction when it was gone. “That was pretty cool, the way you did that.”

Mythra smiled faintly. “Someone I knew used to getting the deals she wanted when we went shopping. She and I didn’t get along the best, but I’ll admit she was good at it. Pretty decent in a fight too. Not as good as me of course.”

Rex laughed. “After what we did the other day I can only imagine how incredible someone must be for you to call them ‘decent in a fight’.”

“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?” Her genuine indignation just made Rex laugh harder. It felt like the first real good laugh he’d had since Jin had stabbed him. It had felt like bantering with Nia for a second there. Mythra’s tone was often more caustic than Nia got, but he could tell that was just how she talked. 

A while later the soldier who had been sent running returned with another man in tow. This one had his helmet tucked under one arm, revealing a fairly plain looking Ardainian man with hair that was jet black save for wings of solid white on the sides. This man gave them a friendly enough look. “I am Captain Padraigh of the Torigoth Relay Base. It is by my authorization that, should you uphold your end of the bargain, we will pay as requested.”

Padraigh set his helmet onto a crate near the table and looked them up and down. “I’ve never heard of a Blade with such a talent, but if it proves to be true we have two other Core Crystals we’d like to try to Awaken. We would pay for those as well.”

Mythra licked the last bit of juices from her meal off her fingertips and then reformed her gloves. “Sure, but the fifty thousand is a reduced rate because you guys don’t really believe us yet. If we stick around long enough to get you two more Drivers and Blades out of this it’d better be one hundred and fifty thousand for each.”

The muscles in Padraigh’s face twitched and he visibly flinched back from her. “That’s...it’s…”, he lowered his head in despair. “Those terms are acceptable.”

Rex blinked back his surprise. He had known the army valued Drivers, but he hadn’t realized how much until just this moment. With that number as context it was honestly surprising that Avacin hadn’t pushed harder to recruit him all those months ago. Padraigh reached out and shook first Mythra’s hand and then Rex’s. 

“Now, as a formality, I do need to know your Driver registration number.” Rex told him. He did notice Mythra giving him a strange look out of the corner of his eye. She probably didn’t know about the registration thing. Which meant it hadn’t been around five hundred years ago. Did he need to get her registered? Nia had hated the process so he didn’t want to put Mythra through it if he didn’t have to. 

_‘As long as they don’t ask I won’t supply.’_

And so the process began. One by one members of the crowd were brought forward and put their hands close to the Core Crystal. Time after time without fail Mythra’s bored expression remained in place as she shot them down. Some sighed in relief, others seemed disappointed, but most brushed it off. People who had been more curious than anything else. 

Finally a young brunette Gormotti man got Mythra’s go ahead. The crowd tensed, but Mythra just kept watching as bored as ever. Sure enough, despite the young man’s uncertain cries upon trying to resonate, he succeeded, awakening a Common Blade with a Megalance. The crowd roared with excitement and a batch of young Gormotti children rushed out to congratulate him. 

Mythra’s smugly satisfied expression as Captain Padraigh paid them the fifty thousand was almost as enjoyable for Rex as the clink of all that gold. The new Driver actually ran over to thank Mythra and introduced himself to them as Jac. Jac’s little siblings even came over to say their thanks for making their brother a Driver. Mytha looked totally flustered. “Huh? What? No I didn’t...jeez, he was always a Driver. He just didn’t know it, okay?”

Rex couldn’t help but smile as he watched the exchange. Jac got his round of cheers from the people waiting, talked for a few moments with his Blade, and then the pair were led off to begin registration paperwork as well as recruitment papers. 

Padraigh stepped forward in front of the crowd and held up two more Core Crystals, which he placed down on the table. “There are two more chances to become a Driver and gain the glorious benefits of joining the Ardainian Army!”

Now that the onlookers had seen that Mythra really could safely determine if someone was a Driver the level of excitement spiked. Padraigh was even forced to call in more soldiers to make sure the people remained orderly and only came forth one at a time. 

However, the process of finding another Driver turned out to be even slower than they had expected. Mythra was growing more and more annoyed as time dragged on and at one point even called a stop to the whole affair so they could get more food. Only then did Rex realize that they had been at it for hours. 

The soldiers brought the two of them more food that they happily ate while discussing the chances of finding more Drivers. Rex really did want to ask her more questions about Jin and Malos, but now didn’t feel like the appropriate time. 

Once fed they resumed the dull process. There really was nothing to it, but it seemed like the crowd was barely shrinking. Most likely the rumor of what was going on had spread to further parts of town and more had come to fill the ranks of those who had already been tested. At one point they even tested a man with a very impressively coiffed beard, who turned out to be Edgar, the Chief of the Gormotti. Rex hadn’t even known there was a Chief. He had only been aware of the noble houses. 

After another hour they finally found their second Driver, a painfully thin Gormotti girl whose age Rex couldn’t have guessed with any degree of accuracy. There had been a look of desperation in her eyes when she reached out for the Core Crystal. After she Awakened her Blade, a heavy shouldered brute of a fellow with a Shieldhammer, she seemed on the brink of tears.

The girl clasped one each of Rex and Mythra’s hands and thanked them profusely. Telling them that becoming a Driver was all she could have ever asked for. Rex suspected she had hardly eaten anything in days based on her appearance and the threadbare state of her clothes. Mythra looked as uncomfortable as he felt. 

_‘I never thought about it before, but I guess for someone in that desperate a state even the army can be a way out.’_ He hated that it was the case. If he and Mythra were able to reach Elysium, maybe they would be able to help more people like her. 

Captain Padraigh looked positively anemic as he paid them another hundred and fifty thousand gold. Rex had no idea how discretionary funds worked for a military base, but from the way Padraigh acted they were probably taking a big chunk of it.

It took hours more for them to almost completely make their way through the crowd until at long last they found the third person with the aptitude to become a Driver. This one, unlike the rest, turned out to be a rude arrogant Urayan woman. Not that Rex was expecting thanks, since they were getting paid after all, but the lady hadn’t even glanced at them. More than that, she looked thoroughly disappointed upon discovering that her new Blade was “just a Common one”. 

When Padraigh paid them that final round of gold Rex was almost certain that the man would collapse dead on the spot. The soldiers, lacking any other Core Crystals on hand, set about breaking up the crowd. Afterwards Padraigh begged, almost groveled really, trying to convince them to come to Mor Ardain. He insisted that they could be privately employed for the same job and be paid handsomely. The man was probably right, but Rex was pretty sure he just thought that getting the two of them in the employ of the Empire would justify the money spent today more than three Drivers would.

Night had fallen by the time they were finished with everything. It hadn’t really been an eventful day all things considered, but somehow they were walking away with three hundred and fifty thousand gold. That put him way above the black line. It felt strange to consider, but he tried to reassure himself that it would still be important once Nia’s Core Crystal was filled with light again. After all, he’d be a Driver with two Blades just like he and Nia had planned. Just...not the two Blades they had expected. And Nia wouldn’t remember any of it.

Rex and Mythra made their way to the inn. After all that it seemed like they were both in desperate need of some down time. Now with what felt like an absurd amount of money in tow, Rex paid for separate rooms. They briefly separated so each of them could take advantage of the inn’s bathing facilities and shower up. Although Rex was used to using dry powder and filtered Cloud Sea water it was still nice to take a hot shower.

He was fully prepared to say goodnight for the evening and settle down, but was surprised when Mythra stopped him. “Hey do you...want to just chat for a while? Maybe play a game or something?”

“Uh, sure. We can do that. What kind of game?” Mythra just shrugged. She barely seemed to want to look him in the eye right now. “Well if you want to wait in my room I’ll see if the inn has anything to play in the common area, okay?”

Sure enough there were packs of cards and a few board games in the common area. From his previous stay at Coedwig Inn he knew that those were all free to use for anyone staying the evening. Rex grabbed a deck of cards and one of the games that he recognized and returned to his room. 

Mythra was sitting there with her legs folded underneath her, boots and gloves nowhere in sight. She also no longer had any of the armored portions of her dress. Rex assumed she had just dematerialized them. Nia had done that often enough with her sleeves, gloves, and boots that Rex wasn’t surprised. It was probably pretty common for Blades. “I uh, brought cards and Bluff Knight. It’s a Tantalese game, but some of the older salvagers taught me.”

“Let’s just start with cards. Not sure I’m up for learning the rules to a new game right now.” Rex nodded and set everything down, then set to work making himself comfortable. Similar to Mythra he ditched his gloves and boots, but also set aside his vest and the inflatable sections of salvaging gear he wore on his legs. It took a little more time for him than it would for a Blade. Seemed like a handy ability to have.

Once he was ready he sat down, took out the cards, and started to shuffle. They played one game, and then another, and then another. They talked a little as they played, but it wasn’t especially lively. Mythra looked distracted and sleepy and he was beginning to reach his limit. At this point they had both been awake for more than a full day. Not to mention the life or death battle the previous night.

When a heavy yawn made his jaw creak painfully, Rex decided to call it. “Mythra, I think we should wind down. I’m exhausted and you look it too.”

Mythra stared at the floor quietly. Then she said, “can we keep going for a while longer?” She was avoiding looking him in the eye, he was sure of it. “Maybe you can teach me how to play that board game now.”

Rex wasn’t sure what to make of this. It seemed totally different from her behavior so far. “We can try, but honestly I’m dead tired. You look like you could pass out any minute.”

Her hands, splayed out against the floor, shook a little. So slightly that he barely noticed. “Don’t be an idiot. I’m totally awake. I’ve got so much energy I could~”, she started to yawn and slapped a hand over her mouth. She had the gall to look angry at him for it.

A memory drifted up from the depths of his mind, something from years before. That look in her eyes, the way her hands had shaken...Rex was no expert, but it all felt very familiar. “Let’s play another round of cards, yeah?”

“Okay.” Rex began to deal, and Mythra watched him with those piercing eyes. Rex tried to keep his eyes on the cards, but it was hard not to watch her. 

“Say uh, have I told you anything about where I grew up?” She shook her head.

“I’m from a little village in Leftheria called Fonsett. There’s some farming, a little fishing, mostly just local trades. Not much to go around really. Me, I was raised mostly by Gramps, but I stayed with Auntie Corinne. I didn’t like staying in the room they had for me though. Most of the time I slept outdoors in this little secret base I made. Auntie Corinne hated it, but Gramps didn’t seem to mind. Sometimes he would come nearby and sleep just outside. Act like it was a coincidence, but he was just keeping an eye out for me.” He flipped the next card over, but he was barely paying attention to the cards in his own hand. Mythra’s gaze didn’t seem completely focused on her cards either.

Rex felt like he was rambling, and maybe he was a little, but he forged on ahead. “Fonsett being a small place there were a lot of folks who would travel to do trade. Be gone for months at a time. Sometimes they’d come back. Mostly they would, but not always. Anyway, Auntie Corinne helped take care of any kids whose parents were gone. On business or for one reason or another.”

“Most of the time I was the oldest one there. There weren’t really other kids in the village the same age as me. Always a few years apart. Didn’t bother me too much. A lot of kids, they get old enough and they leave Fonsett. Got to make your way in the world, make money, all that.” Sort of like he had. 

“For a little bit there was an older kid who stayed with us. Older’n me anyway. I was what...maybe seven? Eight? He was younger than I am now, about thirteen or fourteen. Seemed like he was old and wise back then. Just the way kids think I suppose.” Rex flipped the next card and he and Mythra each exchanged a card from their hand with one from the deck.

“So he was like your big brother or something?” Rex smiled, glad that Mythra was staying involved. She still looked tired, but there was more of a light in her eyes.

“Right. For a bit anyway. At first I was a bit annoyed. Well, more’n a bit. I had tried to be the big brother. Protect everyone, act tough, that stuff. Well Aidan, that’s his name, Aidan swooped in and took that away. I held a grudge, but he had this one habit that changed my mind.”

“Juggling, right?” 

“C’mon, if you’re going to interrupt at least make sense.” They exchanged a card blindly from each other’s hands.

“Anyway, Aidan would pick a different one of the younger kids each night and he’d spend the night sleeping on their floor. He’d talk to them, play games, and then tuck them in. Maybe read them a story until they were good and tired. Good big brother type stuff.”

“He never really did the same for me. Maybe because I was the next oldest, maybe because I didn’t hide that I was annoyed.”

“Didn’t you say you usually slept outside?” 

“Hmm? Yeah come to think of it that was probably part of why. So one night it was late after we finished cleaning up from dinner and it was raining real hard outside so I decided not to trek to my base. Or, well, Auntie Corinne wouldn’t let me. Said I’d get sick running around in the rain.”

“So that night I went to bed in my room in Auntie Corine’s house. Aidan came in and did the usual with me. Talked a little bit, but not about me not liking him, and played a game with me. I think it was a guessing game.” It had been. The memory grew clearer the more he talked. 

“Well I was being stubborn and decided that I would pretend to sleep and then sneak out to go sleep in my secret base. It got real late and I curled up in bed. Closed my eyes and even faked a snore. Did that for a while to make sure that Aidan fell asleep.”

Mythra laughed quietly. “Lemme guess. He caught you sneaking out?”

Rex shook his head. “No, I never snuck out that night.”

Mythra looked confused. Both at his response and at her cards. Honestly Rex had been paying so little attention to his own that he wasn’t sure what step of the game they were at. “Why not?”, she asked.

“Right as I was thinking that maybe Aidan would be asleep and I could make my break for it, something strange happened. Aidan started to cry.” Rex could see it clearly despite all the years that had passed. It had been a long time since he had thought about it. Aidan, looking so big in Rex’s memory, with his back against the wall, legs pulled up to his chest, crying as quietly as he could. His body shook almost gently. Rex hadn’t been able to tear his eyes away.

“He cried himself to sleep. Took almost an hour. Quietest crying I’ve ever heard. He would jerk or make noises in his sleep. I watched him, for a bit. I don’t remember what I thought at the time. Maybe I was confused, scared, horrified. I like to believe I wasn’t satisfied, knowing that Aidan wasn’t the perfect big brother. Kids can be rough though.”

“The next night I decided to stay in the house again. When everyone settled down for the night I went to the room of the kid Aidan was spending the night with. Sat down outside the wall just outside the door and...waited.” He had sat against that wall for hours, mimicking Aidan’s pose from the night before. Rex remembered keeping his mouth pressed against his arm so his breathing wouldn’t make noise and alert Aidan.

“After a bit I heard him crying through the wall. Just faintly. So quiet I wasn’t sure that I heard it at all. Did the same thing the next two nights. It was always the same. He’d get the kids set down to bed and then he’d cry himself to sleep.”

“What did you do?” Rex folded his cards together and leaned back, staring up at the ceiling.

“Me? Nothing. I didn’t talk to Aidan. I didn’t ask anyone else if they knew. I didn’t tell Auntie Corinne or Gramps. I don’t remember why. Maybe I was scared. Maybe I didn’t understand. He was supposed to be the big brother. Unbreakable. Less than a year later he left the village. Never saw him again.”

“Thinking about it now, I don’t know what kind of difference I might have made if I had just had the courage to talk to him. I never knew how he ended up at Fonsett. Where his family was. None of that. If I could talk to him now…”, what would he say? Rex knew what he wanted to say.

He looked Mythra right in the eye as he told her. “I’d tell him that I didn’t know if everything was okay, but that I believe it could be. That I’d listen if he wanted to tell me what was wrong or just be there if he didn’t want to say. Just, you know, tell him that I was there. That I heard him.”

“You were just a kid.” 

Rex nodded. “I know. But Gramps taught me that even people who are strong need help sometimes. I didn’t do that then. I want to though. Do that. I want to be that shoulder for people to lean on. For people to know that they can count on me.”

“Is that why you want to go to Elysium?”

“Not that specifically, but maybe that’s part of it. A place where everyone can be at peace. Where nobody has to feel like Aidan did. It’s not a bad dream, I think.”

Mythra set her hand of cards aside. “I lost track of the game.”

Rex smiled and put his cards down as well. “Me too. But I’ll stay up with you as late as you want. We can talk or we can sit. Whatever you want to do.”

“Okay.” And so they sat, talking quietly, chatting about nothing. Eventually her eyes drifted closed and she fell asleep. As carefully as he could Rex carried her to the bed and put her under the covers. Then he grabbed a spare blanket from a tiny closet in the room and pulled the cushion off the room’s one chair in order to make a pillow. He settled down beside the bed and let sleep take him.

As the last of his consciousness faded away he could have sworn he heard Mythra whisper “thank you” sleepily to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Perhaps it isn't something that's even suggested in the original canon, but I head canon that Mythra is capable of this given her connection to the Blade system. Thought I'd have fun with it.


	10. The Inquisitor Cometh

Watching Nia’s healing at work was always impressive. She held her hands above the injured woman’s leg, which had been punctured almost all the way through by falling on a splintered piece of trunk from the Grand Arbor, and focused water ether into it. Although the wound itself was unpleasant to look at, Rex watched the whole time. It took several minutes, but the flesh knitted together and grew back into place until only a discolored patch of skin remained. 

Nia dug into their bag of supplies and took out a salve that she gently applied to the wound and then bandaged it up with equal care. “Rex and I will walk you back to your village. We don’t have a crutch, so just use us for support, alright?”

The woman nodded and thanked them. “Is it...really healed? It was like watching a miracle. How...how did you do that?”

“Mostly healed. I used ether to guide the natural cellular division process to regenerate the damaged flesh. Most of the energy necessary was supplied by my ether, but a chunk of it came from you. So you need to take it easy, drink plenty of fluids, and eat a lot of healthy foods. Swap those bandages for a clean set every day until the skin looks normal, okay?” 

They guided the woman back to her little village where Rex and Nia were paid for the successful rescue of one of their own. Since the villagers hadn’t had a lot of money to offer, they also prepared some hand made goods and a bit of produce for the two of them. They also insisted on feeding Rex and Nia. 

As they ate, sitting around a large outdoor table with a dozen or so people, Rex felt content. It wasn’t just the food and the sunshine, it was a bit of everything. This was a quiet village on the edge of Gormott, not much to it. Only a few dozen people lived there with a handful more living in small huts scattered throughout the farmland. It was peaceful. Idyllic. It reminded him of Fonsett.

Nia also seemed more at ease around people like these. She always seemed more alive when they were away from crowds and out in nature and this was closer to her energy at those times. The villagers laughed with her and thanked her and insisted that she try just one more dish. Nobody seemed to care that she was a Blade. Places like this, places like Fonsett...that was what Elysium would be like. That was what he believed.

“Hey, mister! Mister, can you show me how to fight with a sword?” Rex looked behind him to find a young Gormotti boy, maybe ten or so, looking at him with excitement in his bright blue eyes. 

One of the adults grabbed the boy by the sleeve. “Come on now Rhys, don’t bother the poor boy. He and his Blade saved Enetha and they deserve some nice relaxation. Relaxation without being pestered, you understand?”

Rhys struggled to get away from her grip. “Come on Ma! I didn’t mean nothing by it. If I learn to fight with a sword maybe I can be a Driver someday too. Then I can protect you and Da!”

Rex swung his legs over the bench and stood up. “It’s okay, really. I don’t mind at all. Could be kinda fun. Rhys, right?”

The boy nodded. “Okay Rhys, you fight differently with different weapons so this won’t be a perfect guide, but I can get you started.”

Rex detached his sword from its spot on the back of his waist and used the pressure grip to unfold the bladed portion. Carefully he passed the sword to Rhys. The kid looked so excited with Rex’s sword in hand. “I warn you, the first lessons are pretty boring.”

“It’s a sword. Can’t be boring!” Rex shrugged. That’s what he had thought. Gramps had proved him wrong.

He proceeded to correct the boy’s grip and then helped to adjust Rhys’ stance. Then he focused on teaching Rhys the proper angle to hold the blade, how far his elbows should be from his body at any given time, and...well soon enough Rhys was squirming in frustration. “Don’t I get to swing it?”

“This early? No way! The first lessons are about pounding stance and grip into your mind so that you can establish them without thinking. That’s also why I said this isn’t a perfect guide. For example, when I use Nia’s sword because its weight and reach are totally different my stance and grip change.”

“You weren’t kidding. This is boring.”

Rex grinned. “Told you. Learning the basics doesn’t take too long, but real proficiency, let alone expertise...those take a long time and a lot of hard work. Hang on, let me get something for you.”

A little bit later Rex returned with a long stick with a bit of weight to it. “Alright, swap with me.” Rhys handed Rex back the sword and Rex gave Rhys the stick.

“This is the only day I’m here, so I’m going to teach you the first two lessons. Then you can practice with that stick. The weight and length are good for you. My sword’s a little too large for your height. Not that I’ve got much to talk about there either. After I’m gone you can practice with this.”

Rex began to run Rhys through the basic drills. Soon enough some of the other young children had joined and were watching them, a few even miming the motions with smaller sticks. Nia came over to join Rex and watched quietly. Once the kids were fully invested in a drill Nia bumped his shoulder with her own. “You’re good with those kids. That come from acting like the big brother back home?”

“Probably. Is it about time for us to go?” Nia shook her head.

“We can stay a bit longer. Think I should teach them a bit of how to handle a lighter sword like mine or would that confuse them? I’ve never taught beginners before.”

“Hmmm...maybe just leave it at this right now. I’m just copying what Gramps did for me. The biggest kid, Rhys, wants to learn how to fight with a sword so he can become a Driver.” He paused in thought. “Come to think of it, can someone gain the aptitude to become a Driver? Or is it just something you’re born with?”

“Dunno. Never really thought about it before. Nothing in my head says one way or the other. I know you can’t lose it. Once you’ve Awakened a Blade you can Awaken any Core Crystal even if somehow you lost your other Blades.” 

A few of the younger kids decided to try to play fight with the sticks, so the two of them went and broke it up. Once those ones were back with their parents Rex and Nia returned to watching the kids run their drills. Rex was surprised they hadn’t gotten bored yet. All of the younger ones seemed determined to copy whatever Rhys did. They really looked up to him. “How can someone lose a Blade? I thought Blades could regenerate from injuries.”

“More or less. But even a Blade will die if their core is damaged. As long as it’s intact and their Driver lives, a Blade is basically immortal. When the Driver dies...well you know how that works.” Nia’s gaze drifted over to the woman they had rescued. She was deep in conversation with a couple of the other villagers. From the gestures they were making, Nia was fairly certain that Enetha was describing her injury to the disbelieving villagers.

Rex followed where she was looking. “So...does a Blade regenerating from wounds work like what you did? Using ether energy to do a bunch of...cellular stuff.”

Her flat stare made him want to shrivel up under a rock. “Cellular stuff? Oh whatever. It’s a little similar, but Blades bodies are basically just an intricate organic structure formed from microscope ether particles. They form a lattice work that’s basically the same as a Human’s cell structure, but just made differently. Since we naturally draw atmospheric ether into ourselves the cellular energy necessary for that regeneration is supplied from outside. It’s typically slower than what I did. What I did...isn’t great for Humans. Not repeatedly anyway.”

“Huh? Oh wait, you said something about that before.” He hadn’t really understood it then either. Still, Nia always got this excited look in her eyes when she talked about cells and healing and the internal mechanics of a living thing. 

“There’s tiny little...let’s call them caps, that are part of one of the smallest portions of your body. Whenever cells split those caps degrade. It’s like...how a person’s memory gets worse as they get older. When those caps break down, the body has a hard time remembering what it’s supposed to be. So when I force cells to replicate, even though I can use ether to regenerate some of the damage to the caps, I can’t get rid of all of it. If a person relies too constantly on ether based healing and not enough on natural healing it shortens their life. Not by a lot, but even so…”

Rex still wasn’t sure how that worked, but her explanation this time made more sense than her first attempt. She had been way more technical about it then. “So when you wipe away my fatigue it’s not as bad because the ether more than compensates? It’s just the big injuries that are problems.”

“That’s simplifying it, but sure. So if you get yourself stabbed I can heal you, but if you just get cut I’ll probably just use a healing Art as emergency treatment to keep you from bleeding too much and then use natural healing methods afterwards. Point is, just because I can heal you doesn’t mean you’re invincible. I’m not either.” She jabbed him in the chest with a finger, glaring at him in an accusatory fashion. Like he had been planning on getting stabbed or something.

“Alright alright, I get it. Nia’s not immortal. Rex isn’t immortal. But still…”, he flung an arm over her shoulder and gave her a big grin. “Sounds like you’re stuck with me for a long time.”

She giggled a little. “Well, don’t expect me to cook you dumplings when you’re a geezer.”

“Cuz you can’t cook, right?” She shoved him away, stomping a foot on the ground. 

“Rex I swear…”

_Rex..._

_Rex…_

Rex jolted awake and immediately winced. His neck had a nasty crick in it thanks to the fact that the chair cushion he had been using as a pillow was too big. He blinked and looked around, finally remembering that he had slept on the floor of his room in Coedwig Inn. Mythra was sitting on the edge of the bed and looking at him. For a brief second he saw concern in her eyes, but it was gone so fast he questioned that it had even been there.

“What’s...what’s going on?” Had that been her voice at the end of the dream or Nia’s? The dream was already drifting away. It had almost been a memory, but things were mixed up. Nia and Rex’s conversation had taken place, but it was after they returned Enetha to her village and were heading back to Torigoth. The village where Rex had coached children in swordsmanship was a totally different place and had happened almost a month after that conversation. 

Mythra shuffled her bare feet against the floor. “Nothing just...well you were twitching and muttering in your sleep. I wasn’t trying to wake you up or anything like that I just...sometimes people have bad dreams is all. You seemed sad when you woke up.”

Rex nodded understandingly. “It wasn’t a bad dream really. Just reminded me of some stuff. Good things mostly.”

His Blade looked a little confused. “Good things made you sad?”

“Sometimes. When they’re good things that you’ve lost.” Gramps had told him that years ago. Trying to encourage him that it was okay to be sad about his parents. Gramps had never quite seemed to understand that Rex couldn’t feel sad about something he didn’t remember. 

“Yeah...yeah I think I get that. I’m not used to someone else being a bad sleeper. I didn’t really know what to do.” Mythra stood up from the bed and stretched her arms over her head, yawning. It was only then that Rex realized she wasn’t wearing her dress. He had put her to bed in it, for obvious reasons, but now she wore fuzzy green shorts that came to mid-thigh and a loose white t-shirt.

“Did you go out and buy sleeping clothes?” Had she woken up in the middle of the night and gone shopping?

Mythra blinked and looked down at her clothes. She plucked at the t-shirt. “This? No, I just swapped.”

A flash of light encompassed her body and then dissipated, leaving Mythra back in her normal dress. “See?”

Rex nodded understandingly. That fit with what Nia had told him. It also meant Mythra had a lot of ether control. “So you must have worn those clothes a whole lot in the past. Are they your go-to for sleeping clothes?”

She quirked an eyebrow and shook her head. “Not sure what you mean by that. It was the middle of the night and I was uncomfortable in my dress so I just thought of something comfier.”

“So you just...imagined them into existence?” Rex didn’t know what to make of that. Nia had told him that a Blade changing their appearance even slightly required rock solid control over your mental self image and very fine ether control. The way Nia had talked, what Mythra had done so casually shouldn’t have even been possible. 

“Sure. Not like it’s a complicated outfit. Fancy stuff is harder. I’m not sure I could come up with a brand new outfit as detailed as my usual clothes off the cuff, but as long as I’ve seen it I can probably make it. It isn’t much use since I’m a Blade. What...were you wanting me to make you an outfit or something?” Rex waved his hands frantically in front of him.

“No, no, it’s fine, really. I was just...surprised is all. I didn’t think it was possible.” She could make him an outfit? Rex knew from Nia’s explanations that Blades could create objects from ether just like they made their weapons, but it followed the same rules of self image. And anything they created that they didn’t directly have on their body took way more ether to maintain. An impractical amount to use except for brief moments. 

Mythra flashed him that cocky smile of hers. “Get used to it. When it comes to me don’t expect the normal rules to apply.”

Finally feeling awake enough Rex set the blanket aside and got up. He was a little stiff from having slept on the wooden floor, but it wasn’t so bad. He had slept on the ground often enough. “So what’s the plan for today? Actually, what’s the plan at all? You said there were things you wanted to figure out, but there’s also Jin and Malos to consider. Do we go after them first?”

Mythra began to talk as Rex busied himself by putting back on the rest of his clothes. He didn’t have the luxury of just poofing them into existence like she did. “They went to a lot of effort to drag me up from the bottom of the Cloud Sea, which means they need me for something. I’ve got a few guesses as to what, but either way it means they’ll come to us. Not to mention we’ve got no leads. And with that submersible of theirs it’d be difficult to track them.”

“There’s some places I’d like to travel to. Different places around Alrest. I hope that during those travels I can get the answers I’m looking for. We can start by having you show me around Torigoth. I want to see how it’s grown.” Rex finished pulling on the last bit of his clothes, including his anchor shot. While he didn’t expect a fight, there was no reason not to be prepared.

“Okay, it feels like a habit at this point, but let’s grab some breakfast at the cafe nearby. Then I can show you around town. Sound good?” 

Breakfast was a simple affair. When they were finished, Rex made a point to head to a shop that handled secure shipping. On previous visits Rex had made use of their couriers to send money back to Fonsett. He deliberated for a while on how much to send since they were planning on travelling. Gramps had most of the two hundred thousand advance Rex had gotten as well as a little more. Most of the savings Rex and Nia had built up were stored in a secured personal vault at Argentum.

Lots of people used the things, but until starting to save money he had never bothered. There was a monthly fee, but it wasn’t too bad. He should be able to leave that untouched for the time being. Between what they had earned, the advance, and the spare cash stored under his bed on Gramps’ back, there was about five hundred and sixty thousand gold. It felt like a ludicrous sum of money. Keeping the black line in mind and his estimates for travel costs for a while, not knowing if they’d be able to earn money while travelling, Rex settled on sending half of what they currently had. One hundred and seventy-five thousand gold to send to Fonsett. The largest amount he had ever sent back home.

When all was said and done they headed back out into town. “You really seemed to be fretting over that. Where were you even sending that money anyway?”, asked Mythra.

“Back home to Fonsett Village. I tried to figure out how much I could afford to send since I don’t know what our costs will be. That seemed like a good number.” Now where would be some place in Torigoth Mythra would like? He still didn’t know a lot about her.

“All of that money set aside for other people. That’s so like…”, she trailed off. 

Rex settled on taking her through the shopping district just to give her an idea of what the city had to offer. He considered buying some Core Chips, little bits of crystallized ether that could momentarily restore a Blade’s ether reserves, but figured that would be pointless for Mythra. He had tried using them with Nia in battle once, but had found they were awkward to try to use on the fly. The military bought them up in droves though. 

“Oh hey, let me show you my favorite shop in town!” He led her further along to a little place that sold local art. Paintings, sculptures, fancy clay jars, all kinds of artsy things. 

They entered the shop and began to look around. Rex saw that one of his favorites was still there so he pointed it out to her. It was a painting of the World Tree and part of the surrounding Cloud Sea, but the perspective was crazy. It really made you feel how huge the tree must be close up. Mythra leaned in closer to inspect it. “It’s got great use of color and whatever paints they mixed to make it look almost like it glows...impressive.”

She put her hands behind her back, one hand holding her other wrist. “The perspective trick they used is amazing. I don’t know if whoever painted this has been to the World Tree, but it’s believable.”

There was genuine wonder in her eyes as she looked the painting over. They went from spot to spot, talking about the different paintings and even some of the sculptures. Rex found that Mythra knew a surprising amount about a variety of artistic techniques and seemed to genuinely enjoy talking about it. He didn’t know any of the technical stuff, but it was common ground for them. “Have you ever tried making any art?”

Mytha appeared taken aback by his question. “Me? No. There was never really time for that kind of thing.”

“You should give it a go! I bet you’d have fun and I’d love to see whatever you came up with.” Mythra tried to judge Rex’s expression, searching for any signs of insincerity. There were none that she could see. 

“Maybe.” She turned away and went to go talk to the shop’s owner. After a few minutes of conversation she came back and motioned for Rex to follow her. “Come on, we’re going.”

“Huh? Already?” 

“Yep. One of the paintings caught my eye so I asked the owner about it. It’s supposed to be a real place on Gormott. We’re checking it out.”

Together they exited the city and went out onto the plains. They talked a little here and there as they walked. Rex was still in awe of the sprawling beauty of Gormott. When he saw how filled with life it was it became hard to believe that the Titan was approaching the end of its life. While healthier and more fertile than Mor Ardain, the locals talked frequently about how the quality of crops had been declining for years. 

Their journey took them to an area Rex hadn’t visited before. They made their way up a place called Twin Trunks Hill until they came to an almost sheer wall that was overgrown in vines. Following the instructions they had been given they climbed their way up and onto the next level. 

The next step required searching around a bit to find what they were looking for. They were careful about it too as it seemed they were near Tirkin territory. Tirkin weren’t particularly a danger to a Driver, but they could be trouble in large groups. Mythra seemed totally unconcerned, but agreed that they didn’t need to get mixed up in a fight for no reason. 

Eventually they found the rock tunnel that had been described to Mythra and followed it up and around until they came to a truly stunning view. There was a little area overlooking a huge swath of the plains and even out into the Cloud Sea. Mythra sat down on the edge and let her feet dangle. Rex joined her, enjoying the view. “This place is amazing. I had no idea this was even here.”

“The shop owner said it was called Dawnview Grotto. I bet it really is even more beautiful at dawn, the scenery painted in a pink and red glow. It’s a good color, isn’t it? Red.” Mythra reached up and tucked some of her hair behind her ear. There was a serenity to her features at that moment that contrasted with her usual aloof neutral expression. 

“Red? I guess it depends on the kind of painting you’re working on.” 

“Painting. Right.”

“Is that your favorite color? Red?” He had asked Nia that once, what seemed like ages ago. 

Mythra got that faraway look in her eyes. “I don’t really know. I never thought about it. Maybe. Sometimes it feels like it’s an elegant beautiful color. But sometimes I hate it.”

“That’s an interesting way of looking at it. Mythra I...I know we don’t know a whole lot about each other, but I really do look forward to learning more about you. Whatever you’re willing to tell me.” Mythra turned to look at him and there was a small smile turning up the corner of her lips.

“You’re a little cheesy Rex, but...you’re not so bad.”

“Wuh...not so bad?! Is that all? I’m gonna have to work hard to get that opinion upgraded!”

“Oh come on, it was just a figure of speech! Keep it up and I’ll push you over the edge.”

Rex laughed. “See, your opinion of me is changing already.”

\-------------------------------

Once the Monoceros had finished its docking procedures, the trio of Jin, Patroka, and Malos exited the vessel. Mikhail would finish checking the vessel’s system before departing. As they exited out onto the docking bay, Dromarch trotting away at Malos’ heels, Patroka saw the person she least wanted to.

“Welcome home, Jin. And my dear sister too.” Akhos' smug voice always hung in Patroka’s ears. He frustrated her to no end. Calling her his sister just because their Drivers had been brother and sister. It was nonsense. 

“Hey, Akhos.” Jin said at the same moment Patroka said, “Shut up Akhos.”

Akhos approached them clad in his usual blue segmented armor with its stupid shoulder guards. He reached up and adjusted his red framed glasses in that damned annoying way he always did. “I hear the Aegis awakened. Nasty shock for you? Or was it?”

“Of course my script showed how everything would play out from the start.” Like hell it had.

Patroka glared at him and jabbed a thumb against her exposed Core Crystal. “Don’t give us that bullshit. Sever and Perdido are dead and I had to use my Flesh Eater abilities, but yeah, you predicted all that. I’m sure.”

A cackling laugh emanated from high above them. Akhos’ Blade Obrona, in her odd insectoid armor, floated down from wherever she had been hiding. “He likes to say that kind of thing when it’s all over and done with. Makes him sound smart.”

That was another part of why Patroka hadn’t been looking forward to seeing Akhos. Obrona’s lisp grated her. Every time the woman talked Patroka just wanted to punch her in the face. 

For his part Akhos brushed her away, telling her to shut her mouth. She simply tittered and floated her way around him in a circle. “Oooh, looks like you got a new Blade to join the flock”, she said. 

Malos glanced down at Dromarch who now sat on his haunches at Malos’ side. “Since Sever died Patroka suggested I awaken a new Blade that she had acquired. This is Dromarch. Dromarch, these two are Akhos and Obrona.”

Dromarch bowed his head slightly to them. “A pleasure to meet you both.”

Obrona waved and floated over to play with Dromarch’s ears. Akhos gave Dromarch the barest of glances. 

“Well I’ve just returned from inspecting the Ardainian ‘factory’. The matters there appear to be proceeding at the expected pace.” Patroka had visited the so-called factory once herself. A bunch of Tirkin and a few annoying Nopon. Still, the project had value. 

Akhos waved his hands dramatically through the air. “The products look like they’ll function as promised so far. Now if we had stuck to my original script…”

Jin cut Akhos off. “The answer is still no, Akhos. Now, do we know where the Aegis is?”

Akhos set about demonstrating the Aegis’ location, making full use of one of Obrona’s useful abilities. She generated a map of light, pinpoints of ether signatures and large bodies of the Titans formed out of that same energy. 

As it turned out, the Aegis was still in Gormott. In the middle of the plains and heading towards Torigoth. Akhos made a sound in the back of his throat. A sound Patroka recognized as meaning he had found something interesting. “It seems that the shipment we were expecting has set out.”

Malos grunted. “The Core Crystals heading to Indol for cleansing. How obnoxiously pious...now who do we send?”

Jin looked up at the lights, stoic as always. “I can handle that matter alone. I want you three to focus on our Aegis problem.”

Patroka grimaced. “Whatever. Let me know when we’re ready to head out. I’m not interested in the details.”

“Oh sister of mine, you never were the type. Leave all the planning to me.”

Patroka stomped away, trying to ignore the conversation that continued in her wake. She just wanted a little time away from the rest of them. It was idiocy. None of it mattered anyway. As long as she got to take another crack at the Aegis and her Driver…

Well Patroka had a little plan of her own. Something to soften up the Aegis. As soon as she had reached the communications room she queued up the comm system and sent her signal. After a minute of waiting the other end was received and a floating image appeared in front of her, generated from particles of ether. 

The person on the other end of the line was a particularly severe looking Urayan man with dark skin and green hair so dark it was almost black. The Urayan bared his teeth at her in what passed as a smile. “Well if it isn’t Patroka. Never expected to get a call from a rival. Let alone you of all people.”

“Can it Waldemar. I’ve got a job for your crew if you’re willing. There’s a particular Driver who needs to be taught a little lesson.” Waldemar scratched his chin, pretending he wasn’t interested. 

“What makes this worth my time?” 

The next part was the main reason she didn’t like Waldemar and his crew. Still, she’d use what resources that were available to her. “This Driver has two Blades of interest. One of them will probably be in her Core Crystal when you find them. Both Blades are unique...and they have human appearances. Attractive types too.”

Waldermar’s responding wide grin made Patroka sick to her stomach. “Well that’s a pretty good incentive, but not enough to make me take a job from you. You killed three of mine last time we met. Two Core Crystals when you took three of mine. Doesn’t seem even to me.”

“The active Blade is a light element.” That shut Waldemar up.

“Well well...that’s a rare steak you’re offering me. Color me intrigued.” Patroka knew that would be the last bit of bait she needed. Light element Blades were considered by most Drivers to be a myth. Not even Jin had heard of any other besides the Aegis herself. 

“Alright, so here’s what I want you to do…”

\----------------------

Captain Padraigh ducked his head as Consul Dughall threw a vase at him. The green vase shattered against the far wall. “You spent HOW MUCH? Do you have any idea how those kinds of frivolous expenditures look to the people back home? Do you want some Senate Oversight Committee coming here and stomping around? Do you?”

Consul Dughall stomped in a circle around his office, his gaudy coat flaring out around him. “Argh, you absolute dunderhead! Three hundred and fifty thousand gold? Should I take that out of your salary, you clod?!”

Padraigh snapped to attention, arms at his side. “No, sir. But, sir, you see I wouldn’t call the expense frivolous. We recruited three brand new Drivers for the Empire because of those funds.”

That caught Dughall’s attention. Driver recruitment efforts were up since tensions seemed to be rising with Uraya. If he could spin these new Drivers in his favor it might win him points with the Senate. “Three new Drivers you say? And why, pray tell, did that mean you had to spend that much money? How many citizens did we lose for you to fork over that kind of gold?”

It still irked Dughall that they should be required to provide monetary compensation to living relatives of those who failed to resonate. All because their death or injuries were supposedly in an effort to be of service to the Empire. “Twenty? Thirty? More? Well Padraigh?”

Padraigh cleared his throat and with the utmost pride said, “Zero casualties sir.”

“Zero? You want me to believe that you recruited three Drivers all without any failed resonance? Do you take me for a fool?” Their recruitment drive would have required the Architect’s own luck to accomplish such a feat.

“Ah, no sir. A Blade and Driver were present who assisted us. I authorized those funds as monetary payment for their services.” 

Dughall furrowed his brow and looked around for something else to throw at Padraigh. Preferably something hard. “So you got lucky and you were duped by a Driver and Blade? Are you a world class idiot Padraigh?”

“No sir. This Blade had a unique ability, see. She was able to tell if someone was capable of Awakening the Core Crystal. It took most of the day, but with her help all three of the Core Crystals in our possession were Awakened to new Drivers. With zero casualties of any kind.” If Padraigh hadn’t seen it himself he wouldn’t have believed it.

Dughall began to see new possibilities opening up. If there was a Blade who truly possessed such an ability it would be invaluable to the Empire. More importantly it would be invaluable to him. If he were able to recruit this Blade _and_ capture the Aegis for Chairman Bana he would have wealth and even more power. “And what of this Blade now? Where is she? And why is she not currently in the employ of the Empire?”

Padraigh gulped, knowing he was in for more of a tirade. “Sir, I did make the offer, but neither she nor her Driver were interested. As for their location, I believe they’re still in Torigoth sir. I believe they were staying at the Coedwig Inn.”

“You bumbling slack jawed craven idiot! That power would be indispensable to the Empire! Very well. I want you to assemble an escort. I will use every bit of power within my authority for their recruitment.” 

“Sir yes sir!”

Dughall patted down his coat, smoothing out any untidy wrinkles. “And what of the other manner I ordered you to pursue?”

“Ah, well sir my men are still looking, but I myself was occupied most of yesterday with the recruitment issue. There uh, was one question I had been wanting to ask.”

“What question might that be Padraigh?”

“What exactly is emerald?” He had been too embarrassed to ask any of the soldiers around him. 

“Agh! Your unrivaled stupidity makes my brain ache! Emerald! Emerald is green! You were supposed to find a Blade with a green Core Crystal! Do you see many of those wandering around?” Dughall wished he hadn’t thrown his vase already. It would be very nice to hit Padraigh with it about now.

“Oh green! So emerald is green. Must be a rare type of Core Crystal, but I actually have seen one before. Just yesterday.”

“What? So you saw the Blade I sent you to look for? Where? Tell me?” If Padraigh had seen the Aegis that meant she was one step closer to be in his possession!

“The Blade who helped us with recruitment had one. You don’t think she was…”, Padraigh cringed inwardly, realizing the problem. 

Dughall let out a wordless yell and snatched a pillow off of the couch and started beating Padraigh about the head with it. It didn’t have the same satisfaction as using something that might hurt. “Of course it’s the same Blade! You blithering moron!”

That presented a problem. He wanted to capture the Aegis and recruit a special Blade for the Empire. Separately. He couldn’t do that if they were the same Blade, so what option was he supposed to pick? 

Another voice interrupted them as a soldier barged into the doorway. “Sir! I have important news to report!”

The soldier didn’t even flinch upon seeing his superior officer being browbeaten with a pillow. That sort of thing wasn’t uncommon around Consul Dughall. “What is it? Haven’t you learned to knock?” 

“Sir, an Imperial Battleship is set to arrive soon from the motherland. The Special Inquisitor’s ship, sir!”

Dughall flinched like he was the one who had been hit. Finally he stopped wailing on Padraigh. “The Special Inquisitor? So soon?” He had been informed that the Special Inquisitor had been dispatched, but he hadn’t been expecting the ship to arrive so quickly. They must have traveled even through the night.

“Prepare a proper greeting for the Inquisitor!” He would have to find a way to stonewall the Inquisitor for a while so he could manage the Aegis business first. This was going to be difficult.

\-------------------------

Lord Caldridge felt like he had just been slapped in the face. “The Special Inquisitor is arriving in Torigoth? Why? How did we not hear about this earlier?”

His secretary bowed her head. “We have yet to receive word from the Senate or the Imperial Throne about the reason for the Special Inquisitor’s visit. No messages from your informants have arrived. I’m not sure what to say sir.”

First the trouble of some of his business partners being terrorists and now the Special Inquisitor was coming to the capital of Gormott? Surely the two matters had to be related. Damn. Were they opening an inquest against him? 

So far his efforts to recruit allies had been going poorly. In order to avoid suspicion he hadn’t brought the matter up with his fellow nobles, but Chairman Bana had laughed him off, telling him only to get a good PR representative. The Chairman could laugh because with his ship having been attacked any suspicion against him would be minimal. If Bana was under the Empire’s jurisdiction he wouldn’t have been laughing.

Of course Bana was also one of the wealthiest people in Alrest which had to help his chances. Although Lord Caldridge had plenty of resources to work with, his pockets weren’t nearly as deep as the Chairman’s. Filthy money grubbing Nopons.

“No, no. We mustn't panic at a time like this. There’s no reason to believe the Special Inquisitor is here for me. Likely it is in regards to the terrorist attack, but the Special Inquisitor will have only the smallest jurisdiction in this manner.” While the Inquisitor could demand to interview the crew of the Maelstrom, the vessel and her crew were the responsibility of Argentum. 

“What would you like us to do sir?”

Lord Caldridge rubbed his chin, looking through his secretary as he thought. What to do, what to do, what to do? “For now...we must be reactive. Let us find out what the reason for this visit is before we take action.”

“As you wish sir.” 

Yes, Lord Caldridge wouldn’t let this trip him up. There were always opportunities for a man of wealth, ambition, and patience. And he had all of these things.

\--------------------

Mythra seemed delighted by the food they had bought in town. She was chomping down on the crab sticks she had picked with gusto. Rex was impressed by her zeal. He snacked a little more calmly on his bean paste filled rice ball. “I guess you must really like those.”

She hastily swallowed and took a drink of the coffee she had ordered. For someone who had ordered black coffee she had certainly dumped a ton of sugar cubes into it. “It’s wonderful! It feels like it’s been an eternity since I ate something this good! I could eat about a million of them.”

“That many? Maybe I’ll have to try them next time.” He took another bite of his food and chewed slowly and thoughtfully. “Say, Mythra. I’d been debating on this so I figured I would just ask your opinion. There’s a Driver and Blade in town who are friends of mine. Would you be willing to meet them?”

Mythra kicked her long legs up onto one of the spare chairs at their table. Rex pointedly looked away. “I don’t see why not. I’m still trying to figure out exactly what I want our next step to be. I’d thought about it before you reawakened me, but now that the opportunity is here the path doesn’t feel as clear.”

Rex nodded. “Yeah, I can see how that would happen. You get so caught up in planning something, but you can’t make everything go perfectly. So ummm...do you like dumplings?”

“Huh? Why?”

“Because if you don’t, meeting my friends is probably going to get a little awkward.” Pure confusion washed over Mythra’s face. That was understandable. Rex wasn’t sure it made a lot of sense himself. It was still true though. 

Mythra’s eyes suddenly widened as she looked in shock at something behind Rex. He turned and saw someone approaching them. A Blade. 

“I come on behalf of the Throne of Mor Ardain. I would like to request the presence of the Aegis.” 

Rex glanced back from the Blade to Mythra. There was a look of recognition in her eyes. 

She stood up and looked across the table at the Blade and quietly said, “You’re…”

\--------------------------

Consul Dughall patted at his face with a handkerchief, blotting away sweat. The massive Titan Battleship, one of the largest in the Empire, had just finished docking moments ago. The ramp to the interior of the vessel had been extended and the ship’s bay was sliding open. The Special Inquisitor had arrived at Torigoth Relay Base.

The Special Inquisitor strode calmly out of the beast’s belly, clad in that unique uniform. A striking navy coloring with lines of white and red, a white middle along the torso, and armored sections on the legs, hips, and one on the left shoulder. And everyone Ardainian recognized the Inquisitor’s cap with its slotted metal visor. 

Dughall reminded himself that he had no reason to be afraid. Yet no matter who held the position, the Special Inquisitor always carried a sense of awe and danger about them. Any Special Inquisitor acted as one of the highest officials in the Ardainian government with special privileges related to diplomacy and investigation. Despite being the de facto highest governing body in Gormott as the Consulate Representative of Mor Ardain, his authority paled in comparison to that of the Special Inquisitor. The Hand of the Empire some said.

The Special Inquisitor came to a stop directly in front of Dughall and his escort. Now it was time to turn on the charm. 

“Special Inquisitor Niall! To what do we owe this extreme pleasure?” 

The young man raised his head to look at Dughall, his sharp blue eyes so calm and kind looking. Dughall had heard that the current Special Inquisitor was keen of mind, but even so...surely it should prove no problem to distract such a youthful person. 

“Consul Dughall. I appreciate your timely greeting. I understand that our sudden arrival may have disrupted operations here in Torigoth. I promise you, we shall not overstay our welcome.”

“Your Grace, perhaps had we known sooner we could have prepared a suitable greeting for one of your station.” 

“While kind, I assure you that your efforts are most unnecessary. Prior to arrival I dispatched Aegeon on a smaller private ship. If all goes well, he should be reporting back to us soon.” The Special Inquisitor’s soft smile almost managed to put Dughall at ease. What a disarming appearance. He had to remember the power that this young boy wielded, both political and as a Driver. His Blade Aegeon was considered one of the great treasures of Mor Ardain.

“Would Your Grace be willing to elaborate on the nature of said report?” Dughall hadn’t heard in advance why the Special Inquisitor was coming, although he suspected it had to do with the matter of the terrorist group called Torna. 

“It is my hope that Aegeon will safely and peacefully bring the Aegis to us.”

With that statement Dughall felt a sense of growing despair fill him. The Special Inquisitor was here for the Aegis. He knew about the Aegis’ return. That meant the Senate knew. Which meant that the Empress knew. 

If the post of the Special Inquisitor itself was intimidating, the woman who sat upon the Throne of Mor Ardain would have been considered terrifying without any title to her name. The Empress of Mor Ardain. The Strongest Driver in the Empire. 

“Is something bothering you Consul Dughall?” Dughall shuddered. Despite the kindly small on that youthful face there was a knowing look in the boy’s eyes. Perhaps it would be best not to underestimate the Special Inquisitor.

All of Dughall’s plans and dreams for the future were suddenly slipping away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a change I've been looking forward to revealing. Also, Consul Dughall has turned out to be a really fun character to write. He's so obnoxiously over the top. He's like the asshole version of Zeke in that way.


	11. Read the Flow

“Did you hear? They’re saying the Maelstrom was attacked by Torna. And get this, the rumor is that Torna was sent packing by a single Driver and his Blade. Some kid salvager.”

“A kid? Beating some terrorists? Doesn’t hold water if you ask me.”

“Everyone’s saying it! I heard it from Fandal who heard it from Sketchisketchi who heard it from one of the crewmembers!” 

Vess stopped listening to their conversation and continued on her errands. She was picking up some ingredients for dumplings and for a soothing herbal tea. Mabon’s coughing had been growing worse lately. This overheard chatter wasn’t the first she had heard today about a Driver fending off Torna. Some of them talked about the Driver and some were more concerned with the Blade. More than one rumor mentioned that the Driver was a youth.

To add onto that, there was talk in town of the Driver’s recruitment efforts from the previous day. Hundreds of people had lined up to try their hand at becoming a Driver, all because the soldiers had found a Driver and Blade who could tell when someone was capable of resonance. She had heard a number of first hand accounts and they all agreed that the Driver was a young salvager who wore blue and the Blade was a beautiful blonde woman. A few made mention of the Blade’s unusually colored Core Crystal.

Back during her adventuring days with Mabon they had heard the stories. While most of the people on Alrest cared little, there were specific tales that were passed back and forth amongst Drivers. One of those stories was that of the legendary Aegis. A Blade of such incredible power that they slew three continent Titans. While details of the stories differed, one aspect remained consistent. The emerald Core Crystal was the sign of the Aegis.

Vess couldn’t think of any other Blade besides such a legend that might have the power to determine if a person possessed the aptitude to become a Driver. If the Aegis walked among them again then it was either a time of wonder or horror. However, the details that were more important to her in those rumors were those about the Driver.

A young Driver. A child salvager. A boy in blue. Had Rex, that sweet young boy, become the Aegis’ Driver? 

With all of those thoughts in mind she hurried back home. She and Mabon would need to have a chat. 

\-----------------------------

The fabric of Haze’s robes made a swishing sound as she hurried through the corridors of the Praetorium. It was very important that she reach her destination as quickly as possible. The world was moving very quickly after all. The Aegis had returned. 

She smiled in passing to those who bowed their heads or kneeled at her passing. It was something that she had grown used to over the last few centuries, although it had never brought her any pleasure. Truthfully she wished they would stop, but if it made them happy she had no intention of dissuading them. The Praetor had never given them any such command, but she was viewed with nearly as much reverence as he was.

When she turned the next corner there was a near collision. She hopped backwards to avoid careening directly into Pandoria who appeared to have been in just as much of a rush. The green haired Blade skidded to a stop. “Sorry sorry!”, yelped Pandoria.

“I’m sorry Pandoria, you caught me by surprise. I wish I could chat a little, but I’m in a bit of a hurry. Please forgive me.” She offered Pandoria a slight bow as a matter of respect.

The electric Blade shook her head vehemently. “No no, you’re fine! I was the one in a hurry. I’m trying to catch up to my Prince.”

All smiles the two female Blades parted ways, hurrying on toward their destinations. Both of them had more important things to do than exchange pleasantries. Although Pandoria was a delight to chat with over a drink or two. She was much more of a relaxed person when not in the company of her _interesting_ Driver. 

Two rights, a left, a right, three lefts, and then she paused. This particular hallway was rarely trafficked as it only led to the Praetorium’s emergency bunkers. No one had dared to attack the Praetorium in centuries so they saw no use. Taking care to make sure that no one was around to see Haze pressed a hand against an innocuous section of wall and let her wind ether flow into it.

Intricate patterns came alight on the wall, glowing much like a Blade’s ether lines. The wall dissolved, allowing her to pass into a new chamber. Seconds later the wall reformed behind her. An ancient bit of ingenuity, designed by Judicium and passed on to Indol. Very useful, but finicky to operate. Too much or too little ether meant nothing would happen. 

The two women present looked up as she entered, each giving her a quiet nod. One of the two was represented only by an ether generated image. Haze graced them with her own smile and took her seat at the small table at the center of the room. “Ladies, thank you for waiting. Shall we discuss the matter of the Aegises?”

“What about the Praetor?”, asked one of them.

“I assure you, the Praetor knows nothing.”, said the other.

“Good, then we can begin.” 

\--------------------------

Godfrey bounced a ball against the fallen wall. There were many such broken down structures scattered across Tantal’s frozen landscape. The remains of old stone buildings that had collapsed or degraded. It was a shame that no one like him had been around to stop whatever tragedy befell the area. 

It was also a shame that his talents were going to waste. His Driver was nearby, rooting through the snow and looking for rare species of flowers. The type that bloomed even from beneath ice itself. Godfrey had never been a fan of ice and he felt out of place in this landscape. His own body glowed with a steady blue flame. The flames of justice.

“Oh? Am I interrupting?” Godfrey looked up at the sound of that voice. It had an unpleasant timbre to it.

Turning, he quickly found the source. An intimidating looking Blade was approaching them. His Driver hadn’t noticed yet. This Blade had a body of primarily black, although golden sections were scattered across its legs, arms, stomach, and chest. Its Core Crystal was a simple circular design, embedded in the center of a golden sphere upon its stomach. Something felt wrong to Godfrey as he looked at this Blade.

The worst part was the Blade’s face. It was a horrifying visage, the likes of which Godfrey had never seen upon another Blade. Still, some Blades had terrifying appearances, but were quite kind. Others who looked decidedly normal were ill of intent. As a knight of justice, it was up to Godfrey to see the good in the world. “Greetings fello~”

Godfrey jerked backwards as sharp claws slid into his stomach. The other Blade had crossed the distance between them in an instant. Blood trickled from the wounds in Godfrey’s belly. Desperately Godfrey reached his hand to the side to summon his Shieldhammer. At the same moment he opened his mouth to warn his Driver.

There was pain, brief, but blindingly intense. Then Godfrey knew no more.

\----------------------------

For the second time in four months Rex walked into the Torigoth Relay Base. There were a few differences from his first experience. He wasn’t dragging the head of a Feris. Nia was no longer at his side, Mythra standing where Nia once had. The guards instead of looking bored strayed between awed and terrified. Instead of a normal soldier Rex’s escort was a Blade, one that looked quite similar to the common type. However, this Blade wore a long white coat and had tubes of a blue liquid wrapping from his knees around to his back as well as three more extending downwards from the top of his head like large dreadlocks. 

Less than an hour earlier the Blade, whose name was Aegaeon, had approached them while they finished their lunch. Mythra had recognized Aegaeon on sight, although she had yet to elaborate. If he had to guess he would say that she had known a previous incarnation of Aegaeon, as the Blade in question knew her only by description.

They had been invited by Aegaeon to come to Torigoth Relay Base where his Driver, the Special Inquisitor, awaited them. After Aegaeon had assured them that they would come to no harm and that his Driver merely wished to speak to them, Rex and Mythra had agreed to follow. Primarily because Mythra seemed confident that Aegaeon was telling the truth. A man of honor was how Mythra had described him.

Then she had added “and of few words” under her breath. On their march to the base Rex had certainly confirmed that to be true. Aegaeon had answered the few questions Rex had come up with in as few words as possible, but never with any hint of rudeness. It seemed like he was just to the point. 

Looking around at the soldiers staring at them, Rex leaned in to Mythra to whisper to her. “What’s with those looks? Half seem like they’re liable to bow down and the other half look near enough to wetting themselves.”

“If I had to guess...it’s because someone told them who I am before we got here.” Mythra kept her eyes fixed straight ahead, not openly acknowledging the stares of the Ardanian soldiers. 

_‘I can’t tell if she’s being serious or just arrogant…’,_ although based on their reactions she was probably right. They definitely weren’t making those faces for him, that was for sure.

Aegaeon led them towards the back half of the base’s open yard. None of the soldiers were in this portion, likely having been cleared out to make room for the huge white and gold tent that had been set up. The Blade brushed aside one of the tent flaps and motioned politely for them to proceed inside. 

Rex and Mythra stepped in side by side. The tent had been set up with several well padded chairs gilded in red and gold surrounding a circular table of fine polished wood. In the far left corner of the tent a long simple table had been placed laden with all manner of food and drink. 

Sitting in two of the chairs around the table were a very unusual pair. Although Rex supposed he and Mythra fit that basic description as well. One of them was a pudgy older man with pink hair tucked under an oversized puffy hat and dressed in a high collared coat with falls of lace rising tight to his neck. 

The second of the two was a young boy with black hair and kindly blue eyes, dressed in a black military uniform of some kind. An odd metal visored hat rested on the table in front of him. Rex wasn’t sure of the boy’s age, but he looked a year or two younger than Rex himself.

Aegaeon closed the tent flap behind them and stepped forward, gesturing first to the boy and then to the older man. “May I introduce my Driver, Special Inquisitor Niall as well as Consul Dughall.”

Then Aegaeon motioned to Rex and Mythra in turn. “These are Rex, the Driver of the Aegis, and Mythra, the Aegis herself.”

Not used to that sort of formal introduction, Rex awkwardly raised a hand in greeting. “Uh, hi.”

Mythra tossed her hair and, ignoring Consul Dughall, focused her attention on the Special Inquisitor. “‘Sup. So...you’re not what I was expecting. The last Special Inquisitor I met was a big guy.”

Rather than being offended the young Special Inquisitor merely smiled at them. “Yes, I’m quite often not what one expects when they hear my title. Although I will say, the nature of my position has changed a great deal since your time. Out of curiosity, would you prefer that I call you Lady Aegis or Mythra? Our few surviving texts from that time are...unclear at your preferences.”

“Mythra is fine.” 

Niall turned his attention to Rex. “And you, Rex? Is that your preferred name?”

“Well I haven’t got another, so yeah.”

Consul Dughall cleared his throat obnoxiously. “It is a _great_ pleasure to meet the Aegis and her Driver. I would _never_ have expected the legendary Aegis to have a Driver of an age with our own Special Inquisitor. Such an...interesting world we live in.”

Rex decided immediately that he didn’t like the man. His voice was dripping with overly deliberate pompousness. “Can’t say I expected to be the Driver of the Aegis. Still not quite sure what that means though.”

Niall set his elbows onto the table and steepled his fingers together. “Rex, there’s a simple answer to that. It merely means that you are the Driver of the most powerful Blade on Alrest, one capable of sinking even a Titan as large as Gormott itself.”

Mythra took a step forward. “Hey,” she started to say.

Niall continued calmly without his kindly tone changing. “Yes, it means you bear the responsibility of being the Driver to a Blade who, five hundred years prior, sank three such Titans beneath the Cloud Sea.”

Consul Dughall audibly gulped. Mythra looked like her fury was building up to a response, but suddenly she scoffed and turned her head away saying nothing. She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at the blank tent wall. 

Rex blinked with confusion and looked first at Niall, then over at Mythra who was facing away from him now. There was no way that could be true. Mythra? Sinking Titans? In their short time together she had seemed anywhere from overwhelmingly confident to quietly sad and contemplative. He couldn’t imagine her doing something like that. “Mythra...is that true?”

“Yes...and no. It’s more complicated than that.” She was tense, he realized. Like she was ready to bolt at a moment’s notice.

Rex turned to Niall and Dughall. “Is that why you brought us here? You want to make Mythra into a weapon for your Empire and its pointless wars?”

Niall shook his head. “That was never my intention. I apologize. I broached the topic for another purpose. To see Mythra’s reaction as well as yours. My aim is to determine what your intentions are. To make certain that you will not be wielding her incredible power for the sake of greed or malice.”

Dughall’s expression said otherwise. There had been a flash of pure greed distorting his features for a few moments, although the man had quickly returned his face to normal. Rex planted his fists on his hips and glared at them. “Well Mythra doesn’t seem to want to talk about it so I won’t press the issue, but I don’t like being tested. I can’t say I fancy the idea of proving myself to someone.”

Mythra spun around and slapped a hand down onto the table. “To me it sounds like you people don’t know a thing about what happened back then! I don’t plan on using that power and I sure as hell don’t plan on being someone’s tool!”

Dughall nearly fell out of his chair when she hit the table. Niall flinched, but covered it well. The young Inquisitor maintained a calm face when he looked up at her. “I apologize if I offended you Mythra, however I give you my personal assurance that it is not my intent or that of the Empress to make use of your powers.”

She locked eyes with him. “Oh? And I’m supposed to be happy that all you’re doing is thinking you have a right to judge if my Driver and I are a danger to your precious Empire?”

“That is not~”, Mythra cut him off with a swipe of her hand.

“So you and your Empress don’t want to use my power? Well does your Empress have the absolute final word in Mor Ardain?” There was an awkward silence for a few seconds. Mythra lifted her hand off the table and stepped back away from it. “Psh, that’s what I thought.”

Dughall made a hem-hem sound, drawing their attention to him. “Now don’t be too hasty! The Aegis could find a happy life in service to our great Empire alongside her Driver. All without wielding her dreadful power. I’ve learned that you wield the wonderful ability to safely confirm a person’s capacity to resonate! Such a wondrous gift! If you were to put that talent to use at the Empire’s behest why I’m sure~”

Niall carefully lowered his hands onto the table and turned to Dughall. “Consul Dughall, are you perhaps contradicting my word?”

“Ah...no Special Inquisitor, that was not my intent. You see I…” Niall made a brief cutting gesture with two fingers, motioning from Dughall to the tent’s exit by Rex and Mythra.

“That will be enough Consul Dughall. You may leave for the time being. If your presence is required again I shall have Aegaeon call upon you.”

“But...your Grace…”

“Consul Dughall. Do not make me repeat myself.”

Dughall spluttered for a few moments, but then rubbed his hands together, pushed his chair back, and bowed his way out of the room. Briefly Rex noticed the man shoot them a hateful look. _‘What part of that was our fault?’_

Once Dughall was gone Niall gestured to the seats in front of him. “Please, I feel we have gotten off on the wrong foot. I would be delighted if you would join me for a beverage and something to eat.”

The young man looked over to his Blade. “Aegaeon, would you be willing to bring our guests a plate with a mix of some of our favorites?”

Aegaeon nodded politely. “Of course Lord Niall.”

Rex exchanged a look with Mythra. She shrugged and they each pulled out a chair and sat down. Within a minute Aegaeon ambled back over and set a large plate in front of them piled up with a variety of multi-colored sweets. Each of them also received a glass of milk. Once that was done Aegaeon returned to a spot where he could stand guard over the tent.

Rex reached out and grabbed a little miniature cake-like item that was colored yellow, pink, and green and coated in chocolit around the edges. “So umm...this definitely isn’t going well. Why should we stick around? Besides free snacks.”

Niall laughed and spread his hands wide. “A good sweet is its own reward I believe. However, regardless of what you may think of me it is still my mission to gain a degree of understanding of the natures of the Aegis and her Driver. That is what my Empress asked of me.”

“Lord Niall has a bit of a sweet tooth.” Rex was surprised to hear Aegaeon’s voice from behind them. That was one of the first times he had spoken up without someone addressing him first.

Mythra popped a square lemon bar into her mouth and chewed. “Can’t blame him for that. They are yummy.”

The Special Inquisitor smiled wider and more genuinely than before. “So they are.” He looked momentarily embarrassed before speaking again. “I’m afraid to say that records of the events from five hundred years ago are almost nonexistent. We have a limited understanding of the nature of the Aegis from the journals of Aegaeon and Brighid, but little else.”

Mythra leaned back in her chair and tilted her head so she was looking backwards at the other Blade. “You write in a journal? I always thought you were writing poetry or something.”

“It is my honor to record some of my thoughts for the future recollection of myself and the Empire. As a Blade passed down across generations these recordings of my experiences are a worthwhile endeavor. I suspect the specific reasons vary for each inheritor of my name and will.” 

Aegaeon momentarily diverted his gaze from Mythra. “Some poetry is recorded in my journal.”

She smirked. “Called it. I can buy Brighid writing in a journal though. She was always so opinionated.”

Rex was starting to feel very out of the loop. From the sound of it Brighid was another Blade that Mythra had known and who also had something to do with Mor Ardain. “Well Mythra and I don’t plan on destroying anything. There are some things Mythra needs to take care of and then we’re aiming for Elysium.”

Niall nodded as if that wasn’t a ridiculous thing to say. Rex knew that’s what it sounded like. Heading for Elysium. Who would believe that? “Yes, I can’t say I’m surprised. A Blade who descended from the World Tree, sent by the Architect, now seeks to return to her home.”

“Something like that,” Mythra muttered around a mouthful of cookie. She dunked the next bite into the milk before eating it.

_‘Oh that looks good.’_ Rex copied her and found that it was in fact delicious. It softened up the cookie just enough and the flavor of the milk complimented the semi-sweet flavor of the cookie. 

Mythra set down her milk after taking a big gulp. “I’ll enjoy some of these snacks you laid out for us, but then we’re gone. Before that, I did think it would be worthwhile to make sure the nations of the world were aware of something. Malos is alive. Injured and without his full power, but alive. I plan on taking him down once and for all.”

Niall looked momentarily afraid before he centered his emotions. “Even after everything that happened, that monster still lives? I...I appreciate you passing that on. I will make the Empress aware of this manner.”

He seemed to consider something for a moment. “Was he the source of the attack on the Maelstrom alongside Torna?”

Mythra’s eyes widened. “Torna? What are you talking about? Torna is…”

“Oh, I apologize. Torna is the name of the terrorist group that was reported to have attacked the salvaging vessel Maelstrom.”

“The name of a terrorist group? Why would they…”, she trailed off. Rex felt like he was falling further behind in the conversation. What was Torna? Why did that name mean something different to Mythra?

As a group they lapsed into silence as Rex and Mythra enjoyed the food provided to them. Niall fixed himself a plate and began to happily eat the sweets that Aegaeon said he liked so much. Eventually Rex thought of something to continue the conversation. “So...what is a Special Inquisitor? I don't know much about Mor Ardain’s military. You must be pretty important to kick the Consul out though.”

Niall politely finished chewing his current mouthful before speaking. “It is a position of much honor and importance within Mor Ardain’s government and military structure. I serve as the right hand of the Throne and act in manners of diplomacy and investigation. If necessary I may issue commands to any member of the military or the government sans the Empress herself. Given the appropriate circumstances”

“Woah...that’s pretty awesome. All of that and you must be even younger than I am!” Rex grinned brightly and then grabbed a triangular tart filled with some kind of red jam. 

“Well, I am still rather new to the role. Unfortunately, my age does lead to many having difficulty taking my commands. For that reason I’m glad I was able to take up this position rather than the one I was originally groomed for.” Niall took a slow sip of his milk.

Mythra stood up from the table and walked around to grab more desserts. “Look at the two of you. Kids these days grow up so fast and with so much responsibility…”

Rex grimaced. “Hey come on now, we aren’t kids. We work for a living.”

Niall laughed in the most contained politest manner Rex had ever heard. “Indeed we do. So, Rex, from that statement I gather that you’re a Leftherian?”

“Yup,” Rex declared proudly.

Mythra, who was busy stacking her plate up high with an assortment of treats, looked back at them like they were crazy. “Wait, how did you figure that out? I wouldn’t have been able to guess without Rex telling me. I guess I did only know one Leftherian before this, but still…”

Niall nibbled at the edge of some kind of sponge cake. “Hmm? Oh it’s simple. As a very rural nation, really just a smattering of villages, Leftheria takes a particular view on adulthood. If you’re able to fend for yourself or contribute to your village by the sweat of your brow then you’re an adult. There’s no particular age. Although typically that age is still older than Rex.”

Rex puffed out his chest. “What can I say? I’m an early bloomer and a hard worker!”

Mythra set her plate down on the table and plopped into her seat. “You’re weirdly proud of that.”

“So Niall, you’re the first Driver I’ve met around my age. How long ago did you and Aegaeon resonate?” 

Niall looked up from his food and smiled across the table at his Blade. “Aegaeon and I have been in resonance for nearly four years.”

“Indeed. Lord Niall has been a kind and hardworking Driver since he was just ten years old.” Aegaeon managed to sound deferential and encouraging at the same time. It was a little impressive.

“Four years? You must be really strong!” 

“Hmmm. I wouldn’t describe myself as strong. I have received training in Arts from a young age, but it has never been something I excelled at. It is to my benefit that Aegaeon is such a superb warrior, though I do him no credit in battle.”

The corner of Mythra’s lips turned up. Something of a half smile. “Oh I remember. Aegaeon was never as willing to spar as some of the others, but he was nearly as tough as Brighid.”

Aegaeon inclined his head towards her. “My thanks for the compliment Lady Mythra.”

Mythra leaned her cheek against the palm of her hand and sighed. “It’s a strange feeling, meeting people I used to know. I guess that’s just what it’s like being the Aegis. I remember everything, no matter how many years pass. I wonder how many of the others are still out there.”

“It is truly difficult to say. Aside from myself and Lady Brighid, the other Blades mentioned from those times in our respective journals...I know of the location of only one. Unfortunately, given his circumstances the likelihood of Minoth being alive to this day are quite slim.” 

Rex leaned in a little closer so he could talk to Niall. “Since you’ve been a Driver longer than I have, do you have any advice for me?”

“Advice for the Driver of the Aegis? I’m not sure I’m qualified, but…”. Niall tilted his head as he considered his words. “Outside of normal platitudes such as ‘trust your Blade’, ‘get to know your Blade’, the only unique advice I might have is ‘don’t pick a fight with the Flamebringer’. Although I imagine that isn’t much help.”

Rex rubbed the back of his head and laughed a little. “I’ve got no idea who that is so...not really. Still, I’ll take it. Still better than the last advice I got from another Driver.”

“You have no idea who...oh my. I have different advice then Rex.”

Rex felt some excitement bubbling back up. “Yeah? What? Come on, tell me!”

“Try to pay a little more attention to world affairs.”

\-------------------------------

When darkness fell it was time for Rex and Mythra to make their way back to the inn. Niall had offered to let them stay on base, in his Titan battleship, or in one of the guest rooms at the Consulate. Rex and Mythra had politely declined. Well, Rex had politely declined anyway. 

The night air was crisp, clean, and refreshing. They had decided to take a back route to avoid as many people as they could just to enjoy a little peace and quiet. Despite that, Rex had noticed Mythra kept looking over her shoulder or even up to rooftops. 

“So Malos knew you, but you said you were asleep for five hundred years. How is that possible?” Rex thought he might know the answer, but it didn’t make much sense. After all, Malos was a Driver. Then again, Patroka was a Driver and she had turned out to be a Flesh Eater. Did that mean Malos was a Flesh Eater as well?

“Oh, that. I expected that question sooner or later.” They kept walking in silence for several seconds before Mythra continued. “Malos is...another Aegis.”

“Huh? A second Aegis? I thought it was just you!”

She shook her head. “Our powers aren’t the same, but we are connected in certain ways. Five hundred years ago Malos was Awakened and when he brought chaos to Alrest I was Awakened to put a stop to him. Before I went into slumber I thought he was dead, killed in our last battle. He survived, but he seems to be wounded.”

“Wow...two legendary Blades. It’s like something out of a storybook.” Another thought popped into his head. “If Malos was able to resonate with a Core Crystal, could you do the same?”

“Most likely. I don’t plan on it though.”

Their walk resumed, their conversation falling off for a while. That is, until Mythra voiced her concerns. “I’ve been feeling eyes on me for a while. Like we’re being watched.”

“Really? I haven’t seen anyone. Do you think someone is following us?” She nodded slightly.

“Follow my lead. Let’s see if we can draw whoever it is out of the shadows.” Mythra came to a stop and Rex did the same. Their affinity link opened and Rex felt power funnel into him at a much lower rate than that first night. The amount of ether he was receiving was still ridiculously huge. 

She very slowly and deliberately closed her eyes while looking directly at him. When she opened her eyes again Rex gave the barest inclination of his head and then snapped his eyes shut. As a result he didn’t see exactly what Mythra did, but it still felt like he did.

Mythra must have released a burst of pure light because Rex felt like he was looking up at the Sun with his eyes closed. It was still a little painful. 

There was a shout of pain and something came hurtling towards them, but the aim was off. Mythra activated her Foresight, but found it was pointless. The object, some sort of energy infused net, hurtled past her just to her right. Her light flare had done its job. 

She calculated the trajectory of the net and traced its path back to its source. Gathering ether at her feet she hurtled herself into the air, soaring to a great height and coming down to land atop a nearby roof, her sword appearing in hand, the glowing green edge resting against the throat of a man dressed head to toe in a dark blue colored set of clothing. Meant to blend into the night.

“If anyone else is out there, I’d come out now.” To further emphasize her point she slashed her sword, cleaving the large net launcher the man held in half. Then she returned her blade to his neck.

Something huge leapt down from a hiding spot behind a tree along the town wall. It was a hulking creature with stubby legs, a bulky rounded upper body, and a giant top knot of red hair. Its body seemed to be covered in armor the color of brass. By the Core Crystal it had to be a Blade, but an unusual type. In fact, its face was just a black oval with glowing eyes set into it. The Blade came careening down, swinging a hammer as big as Rex.

Rex nimbly performed a back handspring, dodging out of the way of the hammer blow. The head of the hammer collided with the ground and cracked it, sending a loud ringing sound through the air. “Woah! Watch it, that’d squash me flat if it hit!”

Two men appeared atop the city wall wearing outfits identical to the first one’s. They took aim with rifles and opened fire. With Mythra’s ether pouring into him Rex’s enhanced speed allowed him to run at an angle around the large Blade, avoiding the gunfire. Four more men revealed themselves, two coming out from each side of the path blocking Rex in from both directions. Rather than guns, two had long spears and the other two were wielding curved sabers.

“Rex!”, she called out.

The Blade’s hammer swept at Rex from his left, forcing him to jump upwards and over it. The four newcomers charged in, weapons at the ready. “Can’t talk right now!”

“No Foresight this time. Just feel the flow of the battle!” She tossed her sword underhanded toward him, which he caught in mid-jump. When his feet touched down he immediately swung the sword in a wide arc, forcing the Human attacks to back off. 

“Right!” Rex gripped the hilt of the sword with his other hand and slid his feet out, establishing his usual lowered stance. A quick swipe with the sword melted incoming bullets from the men on the wall. 

Mythra grabbed the man she had been holding hostage by the back of his shirt, hefted him up, and then lobbed him down to the battlefield. The man connected with the ground on his belly and rolled a few times before coming to a stop in a heap. Now she just needed to wait and see. Calmly she squatted down and let her chin rest in her hands as she quietly observed the fight. 

Rex deflected two thrusts from the spearmen and then used the momentum from his parry to spin in place, changing his position so that he could block slashes from the swordsmen. Then the huge Blade swung his hammer down from above Rex. _‘Feel the flow she says...what’s that mean?’_

The Blade’s attack was fairly quick despite its size, but with such an enormous overhead angle it was easy for Rex to simply take a few steps backwards to avoid it. But the moment he did he was forced to duck and roll to avoid getting stabbed by a spear. While he was rolling the other spearman stabbed at where he was on the ground, and Rex barely knocked it to the side. 

Rolling with a sword like Mythra’s proved to be extremely awkward, but he was able to flip back up onto his feet. The moment his feet were back on the ground one of the swordsmen tried to attack his shoulder, so Rex batted the blade aside with his own weapon. He knew that he could probably end the fight with these men in an instant and focus on the blade if he used ether attacks, but he didn’t want to risk killing them. _‘Flow? So I just...judge the way things are moving and react accordingly? That’s what I always do!’_

That felt wrong though. He was reacting to his opponents, just like he had in the battle on the ancient ship. When you were diving under the Cloud Sea you didn’t react to the sea’s currents. You had to understand them. Become one with them. Let them work for you. So what were the signs of the current of this battle?

A quick flick of his eyes at the wall showed the two gunmen still aiming his direction, but they hadn’t opened fire in a while. Why? Dodge the spears, parry the swords, avoid the hammer. 

_‘They’re not firing because I’m in too close quarters with their allies. They’d risk hitting them! So if I stay like this, then I don’t have to worry about them yet!’_

Still, it felt like even with that understanding he was still in a stalemate. He needed to figure out how to put an end to this fight without killing his opponents. These were regular people who weren’t threatening anyone except him. There was no reason to believe they deserved to die.

Spear, spear, sword, sword, and then hammer. Sword, spear, sword, hammer, and spear. Something felt off about their attack pattern. It was five versus one, but it didn’t feel like he was at a huge disadvantage. Why was that?

Their eyes. He could faintly make out the eyes of the spearmen as they thrust their weapons at him and he could see it. They weren’t just watching him. They were watching the swordsmen on his other side. 

_‘Oh! I get it now!’_

It was the same as with the men on the wall. You could overwhelm even a Driver by attacking them with multiple warriors, but the downside was it limited your attack angles. If you surrounded someone you risked hitting your allies if you weren’t careful. On top of that, the Blade’s hammer was so oversized that there were only a few angles it could swing from. With the four fighting men in the way the Blade was left with only overhead attacks. 

_‘If the current is keeping me in place then I just need to force the current to work for me!’_

Making a judgment call Rex waited until the next attack by the large Blade. As soon as it began its downward strike he jumped forward, closing in right up against it. The hammer slammed into the ground behind him where he had been standing. Rex dropped down onto his side and used the power of his jump to slide him between the Blade’s stumpy legs.

Now behind the Blade Rex hopped out of the slide and slashed his sword against the back of the Blade’s knees, causing its legs to buckle and toppling it backwards. “Mythra!”

He hurled the sword straight up above the Blade. Mythra rocketed forward from the rooftop where she waited and grabbed the sword. In a fluid motion she aimed it point down and hit the Blade face first with a blast of light ether from her weapon. The awkwardly proportioned Blade was smashed backwards into the ground and its hammer popped out of its hand. 

Mythra landed standing on the Blade’s face, sword angled out to the side in her right hand and left hand placed cockily on her left hip. “I was just waiting up there and you still assumed I would follow your lead, just like that?”

She effortlessly slashed gunfire out of the air and then handed the sword to Rex as he jumped up onto the Blade as well. He flashed her a big grin, his eyes alight with excitement. “Of course! I just trusted you’d be there.”

“Well...don’t let it go to your head, okay? Fight’s not over, so what’s your next move?” 

“Simple. I was following the wrong current before.”

“Meaning?”

“Well for starters it means I should be on the attack!” Rex dashed to the edge of the Blade’s round face, which was bigger than himself or Mythra, and dove towards the spearmen. He focused and drew upon more of Mythra’s absurd reserves of ether, further empowering himself and their weapon.

The two spearmen tried to stab up at him in mid-air, but he twisted his body into a spin and cleaved the heads off of their spears. When he landed he rammed his shoulder into the gut of the first one, using his ether enhanced strength to send his opponent tumbling backwards. While the other spearman was still off balance from his sudden attack he rammed the butt of the sword into the side of the man’s head. He dropped like his strings had been cut.

Rex turned to face the two swordsmen and readied his weapon. “This is your chance to back down and retreat! I don’t know what you people thought you were going to accomplish, but it’s over now.”

The two swordsmen looked at each other and one of them started shuffling backwards. The other let out a wordless roar and then charged at Rex. “You're a cocky kid! Think you can take me?”

Rex lowered his sword and let the man’s attack bounce harmlessly off of Mythra’s conjured ether barrier. As the man was stumbling from his deflected strike Rex grabbed the hilt of their weapon with his other hand and swung it with full force into the side of his foe’s saber, snapping it in half. “Pretty much, yeah.”

The man yelped and turned to run. Behind him the one conscious spearman was helping the other up so they could flee. The first swordsman to retreat collected the one Mythra had caught on the rooftops. Meanwhile the gunners had disappeared to the other side of the wall. That left just Mythra, Rex, and the Blade that was still on the ground, struggling to stand up.

Mythra stalked over to Rex and glared at him. “What the heck was that? Did you just force me to use a barrier just for that?”

He shrugged. “Sure, I knew you’d protect me and it seemed like the best way to disarm him without hurting him.”

She glowered and looked away. “So you just assumed I’d protect you because you’re my Driver? I’m not like a normal Blade. I don’t return to my Core Crystal even if my Driver dies.”

“Nah, it wasn’t because I’m your Driver. It’s because you’re not the type of person who would let me get hurt if you could stop it.” He let ether cease flowing into the sword, returning it to its grounded state and hooked it behind his waist. 

Mythra jerked back like he had goosed her. “I’m not the type of person? A couple of days in and you think you know what I’d do?”

“Well sure. Someone who has the power to sink Titans, but goes out of her way to keep innocent hostages from being killed? Plus you saved my life.”

She turned so her back was to him and crossed her arms over her chest. “Ugh, when you say stuff like that I don’t even know how to respond.”

Mythra shook her head, her golden hair swaying with the motion. “So are you sure about letting that bunch go? What about this brute?”

Rex glanced over at the half conscious Blade. Since Blades could regenerate he would probably be on his feet shortly, but he had taken a heavy attack from Mythra. “He can go back where he came from when he’s awake. They weren’t really much of a threat. What was I going to do, capture them? I definitely wasn’t killing them.”

“Kinda naive of you.”

“Maybe, but I don’t want to use lethal force unless I absolutely have to. My life wasn’t in danger there and neither was anyone else’s.”

Rex couldn’t see Mythra’s expression since she was facing the opposite direction, but he imagined she looked annoyed. “Whatever. If that’s your choice let’s just get on with our night and get some sleep.”

“Sure thing!” As Rex turned to go Mythra finally joined him again, in step at his right side.

“So uhh...I didn’t gnash my teeth or anything while I was sleeping, did I?”, she asked.

“Huh? You? I don’t think so, but I was pretty conked out myself.” She nodded solemnly.

“Okay. I’m using my own room tonight. I don’t want you getting any ideas.” 

“Wah? Who was getting ideas?! You fell asleep in my room!”

\------------------------

In the morning Rex gathered his things together, got dressed, and stepped out into the hallway of the inn. He didn’t know if Mythra was awake yet, but hopefully if she was they could get something to eat and then properly plan their next step. Mythra had said there were places she wanted to go so it would be worthwhile to figure that out. Maybe they could stop by and see Vess and Mabon.

He rubbed blearily at his eyes, nodded a greeting to the cadre of Ardainian soldiers at the inn’s entrance, and then...huh? What?

The soldiers leveled rifles at him. Rex jerked back and raised his hands defensively. “Woah hold up! What’s going on here?”

There was a sound of boots thumping on wood as soldiers filled in from his other side, having come in through the inn’s rear entrance. So far there was no sign of Mythra. No telling if she was still asleep or if she was already out and about.

Two of the soldiers at the entrance shifted to the side to make room for someone new. With the taller spiked helmet Rex was certain that was Captain Padraigh. 

“Come on! Seriously, is somebody gonna tell me what’s happening here?”

Padraigh hefted up a rifle and aimed it dead at Rex. “Driver of the Aegis! You are hereby under arrest by order of the Consul of Gormott! You are charged with six counts of crimes against the Empire for the murder of six Ardanian soldiers!”

“HUH?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If XBC2/TTGC were an anime what would their opening/ending themes be? I initially wanted to say One Last You as the ED, but I feel like that would weaken its impact if you heard it at the end of every episode. Similarly with Drifting Souls, although that song is used more than once although most times as an instrumental. Just one of those random thoughts that ran through my brain.
> 
> Oh? The chapter? Stuff happens! More crazy stuff next chapter.


	12. Consequences and Coincidences

While all of those rifles were trained on Rex one of the soldiers cautiously approached him and pulled out handcuffs. “Now hang on a sec! I didn’t kill anybody! Mythra and I were attacked last night, but those guys ran away!”

“Lies won’t save you Aegis Driver! The bodies of those soldiers were found in the early hours of the morning and we have testimony from another soldier and the Consul’s own Blade Dolmes!” Rex took a few steps back away from the soldier with the handcuffs.

Padraigh shouted out again. “Don’t move! If you keep moving we will be forced to open fire!” 

Dolmes? The Consul’s own Blade? Had that been the Blade with the hammer? Wait, that didn’t matter! He was about to be arrested for a crime he hadn’t committed!

The soldier with the handcuffs sounded shaky when he said, “Extend your hands so I can affix these. Don’t resist.”

What was Rex supposed to do here? He wasn’t a citizen of Mor Ardain or Gormott and the Empire was notoriously vicious about its punishments for those who had even just hurt their soldiers. Rex had seen a mercenary get flogged by Ardainian soldiers in Argentum just for getting in a fist fight with an off duty soldier. 

Padraigh spoke again. “Tell us the Aegis’ location. The Empire will be taking her into custody as well for your mutual crimes!”

_‘So that’s what this is about. Niall was wrong...the Empire will go to any lengths to get Mythra.’_ Was Niall involved? Rex hoped it wasn’t so, the Special Inquisitor had been fun to talk to and had seemed like a good person. 

Rex held out his hands wrists up. The soldier opened the handcuffs and moved to clasp them shut. “Sorry about this!”

Acting quickly Rex grabbed the soldier by the wrists, tugged him forward, and then hopped upward, jamming the top of his head into the bottom of the man’s chin. A flash of pain ran through Rex’s body, but he gritted his teeth and pushed through. 

With the man staggered Rex rolled backwards, keeping his grip on the soldier’s wrists. As Rex rolled onto his back he planted his feet into the fellow’s stomach and on the backward portion of the tumble he shoved with all of his leg strength. The soldier was tossed toward the group of Ardanians who had come in through the back entrance.

Rex came up onto his feet with sword in hand and activated it. The emerald light poured out, but Rex could feel there was only a small amount of ether still contained within. Leftovers from what Mythra had provided the previous night. “Sorry! Please dodge it!”

He swung the sword and launched a blast of light ether from the sword at the soldiers at the entrance. His warning gave them just enough time to yell in surprise and leap out of the way as his attack blasted out past them. Rex spun on his heel and turned towards where the other soldiers were. They had broken formation to catch the man he had tossed. 

“Coming through!” Rex raised his left arm and launched the anchor shot out. The cable came hurtling out and the anchor end embedded itself into the ceiling above and behind the soldiers. He jumped up and let the cable reel him in, aided by his own leap. Those two parts combined let him sail over their heads and land behind them. 

Rex let the ether portion of the sword deactivate and he swung it into the men’s backs, knocking them forwards. Without the ether infusion it was just a blunt weapon, albeit a really solid one. “Sorry again!”

He ran a little to his left until he saw the appropriate door number he had been looking for. For a split second he considered kicking the door in, but without an ether boost he wasn’t sure if he could. The sword came to life again in his hand and he slashed twice, creating an x pattern. The door fell to pieces, opening the way into Mythra’s room.

Mythra was inside looking into a mirror on the wall while using one hand to tuck most of her up, as if seeing what it would look like shorter. When Rex barged in she gawked at him. “What the heck are you doing?”

“Soldiers are after us! They think we killed some Ardanian troops!” Rex was extremely grateful when Mythra transitioned immediately from shock to all business. Ether roared into him in a relentless torrent as Mythra created an affinity link between them. 

“What’s the play? Are we beating our way through or making a run for it?”

The soldiers Rex had hit with the deactivated blade rushed to the doorway and opened fire with their rifles. Mythra raised a hand and called an ether barrier around them, blocking the bullets. Rex looked from the soldiers to the opposite wall and decided to do something stupid. “Let’s try for the running, but we’ll fight if we have to!”

Drawing on her ether he fired off another Art and the brilliant light blew apart the wood of the back wall, opening their way out into the alley that ran behind the inn. “Let’s go!”

Mythra was right behind as they jumped through the opening and out into the street. She fired an orb of light from her hand that flared brightly in the room, hoping to temporarily blind them. 

She looked left and then right. No one was on this backstreet at the moment, likely because the Ardanian soldiers had diverted foot traffic. That was to their benefit. “Which way are we going Rex?”

“Left! Let’s make a break for out of town!” They both turned to run in that direction, moments later soldiers pouring out from the hole in the wall. 

Rex turned and fired another Art, making them scatter. Mythra grabbed him by the sleeve and tugged. “Don’t look back! I’ll block any incoming attacks!” 

They made it a little further before skidding to a halt as a new pair of foes came around the corner. Niall and Aegaeon. The Special Inquisitor brought up one hand to adjust the brim of his visor and glared over at Rex and Mythra. “I anticipated a retreat from this direction. I had faith in your words. I had hoped you would be true to them, but your crimes cannot be forgiven.”

“Like I said to them, I didn’t do a damned thing! So get outta the way!” Rex let loose another blast of ether, but Aegaeon smoothly stepped forward and deflected the energy upwards with a strike from his katana. Immediately the Blade sheathed his sword again at his hip. 

Niall shook his head. His voice sounded disappointed as he said, “Rex, please do the right thing and surrender. I will not allow you to continue any further.”

The soldiers behind them lined up and took aim, blocking their route back in the other direction. Mythra and Rex didn’t break stride, they just barreled straight at Niall. “I don’t want to hurt you Niall, but I’m not going to let your Empire get ahold of Mythra! Didn’t you guys steal enough Blades when you conquered Gormott?!”

Rex reached Niall and swung upwards with his and Mythra’s sword. Aegaeon stepped in between them and rapidly unsheathed his katana, colliding it with Rex’s blade. Rex let loose a flurry of high speed slashes, putting Aegaeon on the defensive. Mythra dashed forward and jumped up and over Rex, flipping in mid-air so she landed behind Niall and Aegaeon, but facing their backs. 

Mythra’s kick struck Aegaeon in the middle of the back, knocking him forwards. Rex followed it up by jamming the hilt of the sword upwards into the Blade’s jaw. Despite the combo attack Aegaeon still had the state of mind to make a sweeping horizontal attack with his katana, launching water ether at Rex in a cutting wave. 

Rex barely ducked under the attack, but that left him almost no time to side step as Niall attacked him with a practiced stab from the combat knife he now held. “Everybody just keeps trying to stab me in the back these days!”, Rex grumbled.

“I shall use all my skill to apprehend you!” Niall charged forward, knife in hand, and stabbed and slashed rapidly, his arm moving and striking like a snake. The Special Inquisitor’s body glowed with the excess ether leaking out of him and he had the expected superior speed you only saw in Drivers. 

Rex carefully dodged the knife strikes and looked for an opportunity to disarm or knock Niall out. Off to the side Mythra and Aegaeon were exchanged a series of blows and counterblows with their hands and feet. Occasionally one would grab the other’s wrist or arm, but then the one who was grabbed would twist and break the grapple. Everytime Aegaeon moved to draw the katana at his hip, Mythra intercepted his motion, even at one point planting her palm against the pommel of his weapon and using force to keep him from drawing it.

That viper-like knife nearly took a chunk out of Rex’s cheek when he looked to the side at the sight of the soldiers charging towards them with bayonets affixed to their rifles. “I thought you said you weren’t a very good fighter. You seem pretty skilled to me!”

“All things are relative. Compared to my cousin, I’m barely a Driver.” Niall stabbed straight forward with his combat knife, aiming for Rex’s sternum.

Rex turned his sword sideways and used it like a shield. Then he released one hand from the hilt and grabbed Niall’s wrist, twisting the younger man’s grip to try and force the knife out of the man’s hand. Niall released it and immediately caught it with his other hand, stabbing up towards Rex’s neck. 

Rex bobbed his head to the left and the attack breezed past his face. “Your cousin must be super strong then!”

He slammed his forehead against Niall’s, making the younger man stagger. Thanks to his body being reinforced by ether, that headbutt hadn’t hurt Rex nearly as much as the one he had used against the soldier. Niall was similarly bolstered so he didn’t actually appear injured, but it was the opening Rex needed. Rex hooked a foot behind Niall’s leg and shoved, toppling the Special Inquisitor over.

The first soldier reached them and jabbed clumsily at Rex with his bayonet. Rex blocked it and then blasted the ground at their feet with a wave of ether. That sent up a dust cloud, giving Rex a moment to retreat to where Aegaeon and Mythra were busy exchanging blows. 

Rex tossed the sword to Mythra, who used it to attack Aegaeon. The water Blade was forced to guard with an ether barrier, giving Rex and Mythra the opportunity to turn tail and run around. “Interesting morning isn’t it!”

“Interesting? I haven’t even had breakfast yet!” 

There was a thumping sound as a huge quadruped, easily more than twice Rex’s height, came trundling around the corner. It was grey, scaly, and its back and face were covered with dense armor. The armor on its back was heavy and had a machine gun position on it, a soldier already in place. Even worse, on each of its sides was a large cannon.

“Oh great! Like it couldn’t get worse!” Rex had seen these in books before. Some kind of Titan weapon used by the Ardanian military. Archelons he was pretty sure was what they were called. Effectively walking tanks. 

Niall and Aegaeon had recovered and had been joined by the soldiers again. Captain Padraigh and his band of soldiers came around the corner in front of them and took up positions beside the Archelon. 

Mythra and Rex skidded to a halt, looking first in one direction and then the other. To their dismay more reinforcements were coming up from the other side and heading towards Niall and Aegaeon. It was Consul Dughall, his Blade Dolmes, and the three Drivers that Rex and Mythra had helped identify. None of those three looked confident in how they held their Blade weapons. 

Rather than attempting to wield his Blade’s huge hammer, Dughall was holding what looked like either a shotgun or a short barrelled rifle. The pink haired man raised a hand and pointed at them dramatically. “Aegis and Driver! Surrender yourselves at once and submit to the glorious mercy of the great Empire of Mor Ardain. If you do so we may show leniency even in the face of your heinous crimes!”

He swept his arms out as if to encompass all of the forces arrayed. “You cannot hope to match the military power we can bring to bear! Five Drivers, a Titan weapon, and all of these soldiers! What match could you possibly be?”

Mythra swung her sword up so that the glowing blade rested against her shoulder. It didn’t seem to harm her at all. She surveyed their foes and simply smirked. “You keep throwing the word around, but I’m guessing you haven’t put together what it really means to face the Aegis.”

Rex aimed a glare at Dolmes, the Consul’s Blade. “Hey you! What’s with lying to everyone? You guys attacked us and Mythra and I let those jerks go. We didn’t even know they were soldiers!”

Consul Dughall harrumphed. “Such absurd nonsense! These lies will get you nowhere! Now be good and surrender yourselves to me!”

Rex leaned in to whisper to Mythra. “Can we really take them down that easily?”

She whispered back, “Not without killing them. I’ve got a different option in mind. You inspired it actually.”

He followed her gaze as she quickly looked once at the city wall to their side. Rex realized immediately what she was planning. It was going to make the people of Gormott and Mor Ardain even madder at them than they already were. 

“I’m game whenever you are.” 

Mythra funneled more ether into her sword and prepared to use it to blow a hole in the city wall. It wouldn’t get them completely free, but it would get them out into the open where it would be easier to escape. “Alright, let’s~”

Something spherical hit the ground in the middle of the street and unleashed a strobing dome of electricity. When it passed over them it was only a mild tingle, but the rapidly flashing lights it created were extremely disorienting. 

At almost the same moment a whirling vortex of ether energy erupted from further down the alley, kicking up a huge dust storm. Then a series of small explosives were lobbed out and detonated above the heads of Rex and Mythra’s attackers. 

With the combination of the strobing effect, the dust cloud, and smoke from the bombs it was almost impossible to see anything. Suddenly nearby there was a loud whooshing sound and something clomped down near to them. A sweet childish feminine voice spoke up from nearby, unseen in the chaos. “Please hold on to Poppi!” 

A cold hand clamped down on Rex’s wrist, but not with enough force to be painful. Mythra yelped and then that whooshing sound returned and Rex found himself being yanked off of his feet and rising into the air. 

Rex threw up a hand in front of his eyes as they were propelled at high speed through the cloud of detritus. Their little trip in the air was short lived. Rex could hear the soldiers and all the rest causing a ruckus as they tried to search through the haze for their targets. A door creaked open nearby. 

“Quick Poppi!” 

That cold grip on Rex’s wrist tugged insistently, pulling him forward. “Please to be following Poppi!” 

Rex felt the change in surface as his feet touched wood and they were dragged off the path and through a doorway. The door creaked shut behind them and the smoke and dust started to filter away. 

When it had drifted away enough to see properly Rex and Mythra found themselves face to face with a very unusual looking pair.

\-------------

Special Inquisitor Niall slowly lowered his cap away from his nose and mouth as the last vestiges of dust dissipated from the back street. Although Aegaeon displayed little of his emotions outwardly Niall was able to recognize the telltale signs that his Blade was ashamed and frustrated. A certain narrowness to the eyes and a clenching of cheek muscles. 

“My apologies Lord Niall. I was unable to best the Aegis and as a result they escaped.” Aegaeon bent one knee to him and started to bow. Niall grabbed his Blade by the shoulders to stop him. No one had bowed to him in years and he had no intention of letting Aegaeon slip back into old habits. 

“Nonsense Aegaeon. It was always unlikely we would be able to individually best the Aegis. Besides, neither she nor her Driver were the cause of this distraction. They had help.” Yes, but from who? Based on the origin of the attacks there had to be at least two unknown assailants. Blades almost certainly. He would have to discover if Rex had any known associates or allies in Torigoth. 

Captain Padraigh and Consul Dughall were shouting orders at the gathered soldiers, who were now spreading out to search for the missing Aegis. Dughall kept the three Drivers close by as if he didn’t trust them to act efficiently. Which was understandable. None of them had military training yet or any practice as a Driver. They had been an intimidation tactic. A bad one.

Niall placed his hat back on his head, straightened it, and then marched towards Consul Dughall. Aegaeon kept pace behind him, one hand on the hilt of his katana as if ready to draw at a moment’s notice. Niall didn’t doubt that was the case. He had already slipped his combat knife back into the sheath within his left sleeve. 

“Consul Dughall. Your report.” Dughall awkwardly straightened himself. Behind him his Blade Dolmes looked around slowly at the confusion. 

“Your Grace! I’ve had these local soldiers begin their search, but as yet there are no signs of the Aegis or her Driver. I will have additional men dispatched to begin searching outside the city walls.” Dughall was sweating, his face a nervous mess that he was barely holding together. The man expected the blame for the Aegis’ escape to fall on him. Niall knew Dughall’s type. If it came time for blame he would shift it as many times as possible so no shame stuck to him.

“I find it surprising that either of those two would commit such an atrocious act. They did not seem the type. Nor can I conceive of any motive they may have.” Niall folded his arms behind his back, clasping his left wrist with his right hand. He peered up at the Consul, maintaining a neutral expression.

“Uh, yes Your Grace, I agree! Sometimes criminals are the ones we least suspect. I have absolute faith in the word of Sergeant Galvyn and Dolmes here.” Was that more flop sweat Niall was seeing or was it just what he wanted to see?

“Quite curious that I only found out about this raid when I happened to witness the Archelon’s dispatch. Why was I not informed after the events were discovered?” 

“A mere oversight Your Grace! My men are not used to your presence. Why I am myself was so distraught by the news that I completely forgot you were here for a while!” Consul Dughall pulled out a handkerchief and blotted his face with it. Dust came away along with the sweat. Niall himself was probably coated in a thin layer of the stuff.

Niall nodded with faux commiseration. “Indeed. While I understand the emotional blow this must have been to yourself and to all your men, in all military manners while on base the Special Inquisitor is considered to have command unless a General is present. I’m sure you’re aware that even had there been a General at the relay base because the Aegis is the reason for my presence I still would have been at the head of the chain of command.”

“Please, Your Grace! It was a pitiable mistake! I swear it won’t happen again! I will make sure to reinforce my men’s understanding of your position!”

“It is not your men’s understanding that is the greatest problem.” 

“Y-your Grace?” Did Dughall really think the feigned stupidity act would cover him?

“We will discuss your breach of the chain of command later. For now we must focus on apprehending the Aegis and her Driver. Have your men continue their search. In the meantime I would like to personally interview Dolmes and Galvyn. In private.”

Something felt wrong. Rex and Mythra’s attempt to escape made them look guilty, but they had both taken great pains not to truly harm any of the soldiers. It also seemed absurd to think that a Blade such as Mythra, capable of sinking Gormott itself, wouldn’t just wipe all of them out if she intended an attack against Gormott. Or if the Empire was their target Mythra could have annihilated the Torigoth Relay Base effortlessly. 

Although neither Brighid nor Aegaeon’s journals had gone into detail, there were enough mentions of how little effort had been required for Mythra to obliterate her targets when she wanted to. Had either of the Blades made it through that final battle perhaps they would know more. 

It was time for Niall to play his part. He was the Special Inquisitor of Mor Ardain. Now he would have to make a few inquiries.

\-------------------

Mythra had absolutely no idea what to make of the duo standing in front of them. The first one wasn’t too odd. A large bodied Nopon colored orange and white wearing some kind of denim outfit with suspenders. The other though…

The little girl that stood before her, staring up with a big cheerful smile and orange doe eyes was clearly not a Blade. There was something akin to a Core Crystal on her chest, but it was a dark orange in color. Her legs, arms, and joints were all clearly mechanical. Even her ears were some kind of pointy mechanical structure jutting out from the sides of her head. Plenty of Blades had unusual and in some cases mechanical appearances, but none of them had an orange Core Crystal. 

She reached out mentally for a signal, but detected none. This girl wasn’t an Artifice. There was no telltale broadcast signature in the air. The little girl leaned forward, stretched one hand out and waved it back and forth in an over exaggerated near parody of waving. Her red cape flopped around from the energy of her motion. “Greetings! Poppi is glad friends are okay!”

Not that Mythra was surprised, but the girl’s voice matched whoever had hauled them out of that mess. Of course calling herself by her own name was a good indicator too. Feeling a little awkward Mythra raised her own hand in greeting. “Uh, hi. Thanks for the save.”

“Poppi is always happy to be of service, tee-hee!” The cheerful tone, the way Poppi tilted her head, it was all so...so..saccharinely sweet and adorable. 

_‘Tee-hee? Really?’_ Mythra wrenched her gaze away from the unusual Not-Blade and drew her focus over to the Nopon, who was hopping up and down in place looking like an excited ball of fluff and feathers. 

Rex took a slight step back from the bouncing Nopon. “We appreciate the help, but I gotta ask...why’d you help us?”

The Nopon giggled. Actually giggled. Mythra shuddered. There was something wrong about a Nopon that size giggling gleefully like a child. “Why Tora help Rex-Rex? Because Tora hate big bully soldiers and because Rex-Rex is Rex-Rex!”

Mythra raised an eyebrow and looked over at her Driver. “Wait, you know this guy?”

Rex shook his head emphatically no. “Never met him. How do you know my name? And uh, it’s just one Rex. Not two.”

Mythra flinched slightly when a hand tugged at her skirt. She slapped Poppi’s hand like she was disciplining a naughty cat. “Hey, stop that!”

Poppi looked over at the Nopon Tora and said, “Masterpon, can Poppi’s next design have skirt like this? Look like increase cuteness output by twenty to thirty percent!”

Simultaneously Rex and Mythra said, flabbergasted, “Masterpon?”

Tora rubbed the back of his head with one of his large wings. “Uh, there is explanation for all this, Tora promises. But hurry hurry, we talk back in Tora’s home! Come on, come on.”

The large Nopon hopped away and led them down a stairwell, Poppi skipping along behind him. Reluctantly Mythra and Rex followed. It didn’t take long for them to reach a small home that was divided into two levels. The place was a little messy with tools lying all over the place, but it seemed otherwise like a pretty traditional Nopon home.

When they stopped Poppi approached Mythra again and held out her hands, palms up. “Can Poppi take your coat?”

“I’m...not wearing a coat.” So far from Mythra’s point of view Poppi seemed like a child. Albeit a child with some weird ideas. What had she meant by ‘next design’?

Poppi proceeded to ask Rex the same question. Mythra’s Driver reluctantly gave Poppi his coat, er vest, and the little Not-Blade hung it up on a peg hook in the corner. “Poppi is happy to be of service!”

Mythra planted her hands on her hips and whirled to Tora. “Okay, I’m really going to need an explanation now. Who are you? How do you know Rex? What exactly is Poppi? And why is she acting that way?”

Rex stuffed his hands in his pockets and nodded along. “I’m pretty curious about all that stuff myself.”

“Yes, yes. Tora explain. But where Tora start?” The Nopon dragged out a seat and plopped down, motioning for them to do the same. Before Mythra could pull out a chair for herself Poppi did it for her, beaming the whole time.

“Uh, thanks.”

Tora flipped his brown eyed gaze first from Rex and then to Mythra and back. “Tora start simple. Tora is Tora. This,” he pointed his wing to Poppi. “Is Tora’s greatest invention! World’s first Artificial Blade!”

Poppi struck a dramatic pose, legs wide and arms curled like she was flexing. “Poppi created by Masterpon so Masterpon is Poppi’s Masterpon.”

Mythra and Rex blinked away the confusion of that explanation. “Uh...right,” said Rex. “I’ve got no idea what you’re talking about.”

Poppi straightened up and pointed a finger at Tora. “Masterpon say he start simple. Masterpon call Poppi simple?”

“No no Poppi! Tora get it backwards and start at most complicated part! Tora will try again.”

“Tora help Rex-Rex because Tora big fan of Rex-Rex! Doublename sign of respect. Rex-Rex is great Driver!” 

Rex rubbed the back of his head, looking embarrassed. “I don’t get it, but I guess it doesn’t bother me much. How do you know me though? I don’t think we’ve ever met.”

“Not so! Tora see Rex-Rex many times, though Tora not have courage to talk to Rex-Rex. Tora first see Rex-Rex shopping with Nia. Tora want to talk to Driver and Blade, but Tora get embarrassed and run away.” 

Rex scratched his chin as he thought back. “Come to think of it I do remember there being a Nopon in that store. You’re the one who was...uh…” Rex pointedly stopped talking. Mythra found herself wondering what he had remembered.

Tora continued. “Then later Tora become fan of Rex-Rex! Tora always admire Driver and Blade and way they combine spirits for big power! Tora and family long to be Driver, but Tora not able to resonate. Then Tora see Rex-Rex defend Blade!”

The Nopon hopped to his feet and pulled out a large wrench, pointing it at Rex’s face. Then, with a terrible imitation of Rex’s accent, he said, “Do you want to say that again?”

Tora giggled again and tucked the wrench back into his breast pocket. “Tora was in awe! Become big fan of Rex-Rex immediately! Think Rex-Rex epitome of Driveryness.”

“Oh, saw that did you? I don’t think it was that impressive. Just standing up to some rude drunks.” Mythra found herself wondering what she was missing. Her thoughts were distracted when Tora whirled to face her.

“Then friend Nia beat up bully Driver! She so cool! Now she even cooler! She much much different now. Grow up. Can Blade change mode? This Nia Mode Two?”

Mythra grimaced. Sure enough Rex momentarily had a far away look in his eyes. “I’m not Nia. Totally different Blade.”

Rex refocused almost immediately. “Tora, this is Mythra. She’s also my Blade. A lot of stuff happened, some bad stuff, and Nia…”

Mythra reached out and put her hand on Rex’s shoulder. He smiled appreciatively at her. “Unfortunately, Nia has returned to her Core Crystal. When its light returns, Rex will Awaken her again.”

Tora looked momentarily sad, but upon hearing Mythra’s last sentence he resumed his bounce. “Is not so bad then! Friend Nia lives on!”

Rex smiled, but Mythra could tell it was half-hearted. “Yeah.”

Poppi poked Tora in the side. “Poppi think Masterpon being insensitive. Should learn to read room.”

“Mehmehmeh...maybe Poppi is right. Tora apologize. Not mean to prod sensitive wound. Tora can move on with explanation if that help?” 

“It’s okay. And yeah, I think that’ll help,” said Rex.

“Well Tora see Rex-Rex and Nia many times in Torigoth over last few months, always heading to adventure. Tora really want to join or talk to Rex-Rex, but Tora not Driver so not have courage. Then something amazing happen just two weeks ago!”

He motioned grandly to Poppi. “Nice Blade friend of Tora who help Tora acquire other parts for completing Artificial Blade Poppi finally acquire and bring Bion Connectors! These last parts after Blade friend bring Tora Perfect Range Sensor months ago. Since Tora cannot become Driver, Tora finish work of three generations from Grampypon, to Dadapon, to Tora! Poppi is Artificial Blade so she can resonate with anyone. Now even Tora can be Driver and experience bond of Driver and Blade!” 

He and Poppi high fived. “Poppi is ultimate invention. Tora and Poppi see Rex-Rex and friend Mythra helping other people become Drivers. Tora is touched, but line too long and Tora get hungry so we left.”

Poppi nodded sagely. “Masterpon must eat fill of tasty sausage or could die.”

Mythra glanced over at the Artificial Blade girl. “You realize that’s a lie, right?”

“Mehmehmeh! Moving on! Tora and Poppi come to inn to see if we can meet Rex-Rex, but then bully soldiers attack. So Tora have Poppi use Noponic Storm to kick up dust cloud. Poppi use jet boots and help friends escape! Now friends here in home of Tora and Tora so happy.”

“Well thanks, you certainly helped us out. I’m not a fan of being on the run, but I’d rather it be that then have to hurt any of those soldiers. I don’t like the army, but I don’t want to kill them. So uh, what was that other attack? With the electricity?”

“Mehmeh? That not Poppi or Tora.”

Mythra leaned back in her chair and rested one arm on the table. “I felt the ether in the air when that attack came. It was a second Blade. An electric element one. That weapon that hit the ground before the attack was a Bitball. A pretty common Blade weapon.”

“An electric element Bitball?” Rex snagged his fingers as he made the connection. “Vess! It had to have been! She must have seen we were in trouble and decided to help. I hope she and Mabon don’t get in trouble for this.”

“I’d say we could go check, but I don’t know how we’d sneak through town without getting caught.” Mythra paused to consider their options. “Maybe we could figure out some kind of disguise?”

Poppi clapped her hands together excitedly. “Poppi knows what to do! Follow Poppi!”

She reached out and grabbed Mythra’s hand, pulling her up and out of the chair. Mythra almost stumbled from the raw force. For such a tiny thing Poppi was really strong. “Where are we going?”

Poppi led Mythra off to a side area where a lot of construction materials were set-up. In one corner of the room was a wardrobe that Poppi was tugging Mythra towards. Tora suddenly bounced ahead of them and held up his wings to stop them. “Mehmeh! Poppi, Tora not think that good idea.”

Rex leaned around them to look at the wardrobe. There didn’t seem to be anything strange going on, so why was Tora panicking?

Mythra scowled down at the Nopon. “What exactly is in there that you’re so defensive about? And now that I think about it, you never answered why Poppi acts that way.”

“Is pinnacle of cuteness is why! Essence of cuteness and battle power is maid, even stupid littlepon know is fact. So Tora program Poppi with core elements of maidiness! Blushy-crushy, superstrength, explosives, helpfulness!”

Mythra felt her left eye twitch. “Maidiness? Blushy-crushy?”

Rex looked even more confused than he already had. “Hang on, what have superstrength, battle power, and explosives got to do with being a maid?”

Tora sighed and shook his head dejectedly. “Tora idolize Rex-Rex, but not know Rex-Rex has less education than littlepon. Is common knowledge! All these things are why maid is coolest and cutest of all. Is known!”

“I...really don’t think it is Tora.”

“Mehmeh?”

A creaking sound issued forth throughout the room. While they had been distracted Poppi had let go of Mythra’s hand, walked over, and flung the wardrobe open. Inside were a series of dresses and costumes, including more than one maid outfit. “Mythra should pick one! Poppi will help pick cutest and coolest outfit for Mythra.”

Mythra glared down at Tora. “Those clothes are way too big for Poppi. Why do you even have those?”

Rex put his face into his hands and groaned. “I knew I remembered right. You were in the women’s section when I saw you that day.”

Tora hopped up and down. “Meh...Tora can explain! Clothes were originally intended for Poppi. Poppi original design iteration much taller, so Tora buy clothes for that design. Then Tora have to decrease design size so buy more clothes for new design. Then have to decrease again and Tora run out of money and cannot find small enough maidy clothes. So Tora make Poppi’s clothes by hand.”

Since Poppi kept beckoning over to Mythra she finally relented and walked over to the wardrobe. There was something about the kid’s demeanor that made it hard for Mythra to refuse. “So why did you decrease Poppi’s designed size twice?”

“Is embarrassing.”

“More embarrassing than this already is?” Poppi pulled two outfits out of the wardrobe and held them up to Mythra, contemplating which was the best option. From Mythra’s perspective they were just different styles of maid clothes, but Poppi seemed to be able to distinguish big differences.

Poppi smiled cheerfully up at Mythra. “Masterpon change Poppi’s design because Masterpon too short to reach if Poppi too tall. And Masterpon not like going up and down step stool to work on tall Poppi, so Masterpon give up. Poppi think current Poppi’s size is best size!”

“Tora also run out of money. Poppi very expensive. Tora flat broke now.”

Rex lightly punched Tora on the shoulder playfully. “Lighten up. Poppi is awesome and thanks to that you saved our butts. A few hundred thousand gold was worth that, right?”

“Not counting Tora’s personal expenses or hours worked, Poppi cost three million nine hundred eighty-two thousand four hundred and five gold. Worth every gold though.”

Rex jumped back from Tora in shock. “That much? No way!”

Mythra blanched at the next set of outfits that Poppi was holding up to her and comparing. They were black leotards with sheer leggings, little bow ties, and for some reason bunny ears. “What the hell am I looking at right now and do I need to hurt Tora for it?”

Poppi looked so innocent as she held up the costumes to Mythra. “Is practical model for special armor Masterpon designing for Poppi. Even include tail wiggle protocol when finished!”

“Armor...Poppi, there’s barely anything there. There’s no way you could call that armor!” 

Poppi stared unblinkingly up at her. “But Mythra is wearing about the same amount. Is it bad?”

Tora covered his eyes with his wings. “Poppi, please stop! Going to get Tora hurt.”

Mythra flushed a little and looked away. “My clothes aren’t _that_ revealing.”

Poppi put the bunny outfits away and looked at Mythra pleadingly. “Poppi is too small to wear outfits Masterpon pick out for her. Can Mythra please wear one? For Poppi?”

Mythra hesitantly looked back at Poppi out of the corner of her eye and immediately wished she hadn’t. That damned face filled with child-like innocence...ugh, it was just too powerful. “Fine. Just one, okay? For a little bit.”

She focused and with a moment of thought remodeled her clothes by editing the ether structure that made them up. Light briefly enveloped her and when it was gone she was wearing one of the maid outfits, but instead of black and white it was emerald and white. Had to stay on theme. “How’s that?”

Poppi clapped her hands and laughed with joy. “Mythra look like perfect maid! Poppi estimate Mythra’s battle power and cuteness each increase by seventeen percent.”

“That much huh?” Mythra turned and looked back over to Tora and Rex. Tora gave her a thumbs up and she briefly considered kicking him. Maybe later. “So? How’s this for a disguise? It covers up my Core Crystal.”

Rex lightly scratched at his cheek, not quite making eye contact with her. “Pretty sure disguises are supposed to keep people from paying attention to you. I don’t think those clothes will help much.”

“Oh, Poppi not consider those clothes for disguise. Poppi just want to see what they look like when worn since Poppi never get to.” The Artificial Blade rifled around in the wardrobe for a few seconds before pulling out a brown lightly patterned poncho in a Gormotti style, complete with a hood with cat-like ears. “Poppi think of this for disguise.”

Ether surrounded Mythra and converted her clothes into a copy of the poncho, the hood up and over her head. It mostly blocked the view of her hair and also covered over her Core Crystal. “Yeah, this is probably better. Honestly I think this outfit is cuter.”

Poppi bobbed up and down with excitement. “Poppi disagree, but Poppi will respect Mythra’s opinion. This outfit only increase cuteness and battle power by maximum of one percent. Maid clothes still stronger.”

Mythra restored her normal clothes with a thought. “So what Rex and I need to do is figure out what our goals are. That way we can determine what needs to happen to accomplish them. Tora, can we stay here while we figure that out?”

“Of course! Tora wants to help, not just be secret base.”

“Poppi too!”

Rex shook his head. “I appreciate it guys, really I do, but you’ve already put yourself at risk for us.”

“Tora wants to help Rex-Rex. Tora can fight a little, and Tora knows informant in town. Tora can even sneak Rex-Rex and Mythra out of town if need be, but Tora want to come.” Tora leaned in, flapping his wings aggressively. His big brown eyes were filled with determination.

“Tora...let me think about it, okay?”

“Meh...alright. Tora will wait.”

Mythra reached up and straightened her tiara and breezed past the two boys. “While you two sort that out, why don’t I cook something up for us? I still haven’t had any breakfast.”

Poppi bounded after Mythra. “Poppi will help Mythra! Masterpon have many ingredients, but not do much cooking. Masterpon not know how to program cooking into Poppi either, so Poppi can only chop vegetables and grill tasty sausage.”

The little Artificial Blade hooked her arm around Mythra’s and the two headed to the central area which doubled as Tora’s kitchen. “Mythra like cooking?”

“Hmm? Yeah, honestly I love it. It’s a bunch of fun combining stuff together until you get something new. Feels more useful than just being able to hit things hard, you know?”

\---------------------

Special Inquisitor Niall surveyed the detailed notes he had taken from his interviews with Dolmes and Galvyn. Aegaeon stood at the entrance to Consul Dughall’s office, which Niall had temporarily commandeered, to make sure no one disturbed them. Soldiers were making sweeps throughout the town and those that could be spared had been sent out onto the Garanti Plain.

The coroner had also brought him the official report on the bodies of the six deceased men. The men had all either been cut, stabbed, burned, or some combination of the three. According to the coroner’s report the burn marks were consistent with those caused by ether based attacks, but that there wasn’t enough available information to confirm the ether type used. That fell to the simple fact that light element Blades were essentially nonexistent. For all intents and purposes they simply didn’t exist.

“I don’t like this Aegaeon. Ether burns don’t even prove that this was done by a Blade. All we have to rely on are the words of Dolmes and Galvyn. It strains credulity for me to believe that the Aegis and her Driver were responsible for this tragedy, but what benefit would there be for Galvyn and Dolmes to deceive us?” 

Niall tapped his pen against the table as he tried to consider the situation from other angles. There had to be something he was missing.

“Lord Niall, are you perhaps not assuming too much about the nature of the Aegis and her young Driver from one encounter? Our records don’t make it seem the Aegis is a dangerous criminal, but Lady Brighid’s journal refers to the Aegis as a violent reckless brute. On more than one occasion.” 

Niall nodded out of habit, although Aegaeon couldn’t see him. “That’s true, however she also wrote a few complimentary things. It’s a pity Brighid herself isn’t here. Perhaps she could shed some light on what her past self truly thought. As to my assumptions, perhaps I am. However, I would be remiss in my actions if I didn’t follow through on any investigation of this nature.”

“Do the innocent flee?”

Niall countered by saying, “They do. And do murderers take pains to avoid bringing harm to their pursuers?”

“Maybe. Maybe not.”

Niall underlined a few portions of the testimony of the two alleged witnesses. Their testimonies were similar, but not identical. Dolmes in particular was difficult to gauge. The Blade seemed slow of mind and gave simplistic answers without much detail. Galvyn’s words seemed exaggerated with the intent to make himself look better. Claiming to have only retreated because his comrades had insisted, but also taking pains to imply that had he stayed they might have bested the Aegis. As if a single non-Driver would have made the difference.

A few factors stood out to Niall as troublesome for the reports he had been provided. Not everything he had requested had been provided so far, but there was enough to get a growing picture. The seven men had decided to go out for late night drinks and, encountering the Consul’s Blade, decided to invite him. Galvyn had suggested it was for camaraderie, but when pressed admitted that it was to score points with the Consul.

Dolmes’ portion of the story said he had been out for a walk, enjoying the night air, when  
he bumped into the soldiers who proceeded to invite him for drinks. Dolmes had been offended when Niall questioned whether the Blade could even drink anything. Niall still could see no sign of a mouth on the Blade. So how exactly did he drink?

Coming back from drinking they had been beset by a Blade with golden blonde hair who set about with her sword, cutting them down brutally. Galvyn said he fought passionately, but the others convinced him to flee. Dolmes merely said that he fought, but got knocked down and unconscious, coming to only after everyone else was dead and the enemy Blade was gone.

The first problem was simple. Motivation. The reports simply said the Aegis attacked without provocation and without warning or explanation. A quick brutal attack that left six dead. Yet that didn’t match up with the Aegis’ capabilities. Like he had previously considered, there seemed no logical reason for the attack. Attacking seven random soldiers and a Blade? When you were capable of annihilating the entirety of the Torigoth Relay Base? Why?

The second problem was time. While coroner reports on time of death weren’t exact, what was close to exact was the testimony of the bar staff where the men had gone for drinks. Galvyn and Dolmes had said they finished drinking and immediately headed out to return to the base. The bar staff indicated the group departed at least two hours before the earliest estimated time of death. The spot their bodies had been located was a mere fifteen minute walk from the bar.

The third problem was the armory. None of the men had been armed as they were off shift and out of uniform, however two spears, a saber, and an ether net launcher were missing from the armory’s inventory. There were no records of said weapons having been checked out. 

The fourth problem was connection. The only thing those seven men had in common was skill in battle and being stationed at Torigoth Relay Base. His interviews with other soldiers on base gave no reason to believe the men were friends or even did more than speak to each other in passing. How had they all ended up going drinking together? Galvyn gave no specific reason, saying only that they had wound up discussing the matter and chose to go out on a whim. 

These four issues by themselves were not proof. However, they were enough to make his skepticism seem more reasonable. Several things were amiss and he was determined to get to the bottom of it. 

\----------------------

The meal that Mythra had joyfully cooked for them and laid out on the table was...painfully bad. A spiced broth with apples, carrots, and onions. Simple and it should have come out fairly plain of taste with the minimal spices Tora had on hand, but instead it was a mishmash of flavors. The broth was mildly spicy, the apples and carrots were sweet, but the dish had been heavily salted and there was a strong vinegar taste. 

Mythra looked excited to watch their reactions and was happily enjoying her own food. Tora and Rex on the other hand were a little afraid to take another bite. The taste lingered. 

“So, how do you like it?” There was a look of pure childlike eagerness in her eyes. So pure that Rex had no idea what to say.

“It’s uh...sure something. What kind of recipe is this?” Was that a reasonable answer? Oh Architect...why had the taste in his mouth suddenly gone from vinegary to sour?

“Recipe? I just threw stuff together that seemed like a good fit. I like it. Could probably use a little more salt, but I didn’t just want to make it to my tastes.” A little more salt? Rex had seen Tora’s bottle of salt on the counter. It was noticeably less full than it had been before she started cooking.

Rex tried to wrack his brain for something to say, but was saved when Tora spoke up. And possibly doomed himself.

“Tora think it tastes awful! Tora cannot cook, but this hurt Tora’s tastebuds. Offensive to ingredients.” He flapped his wings almost furiously. 

Poppi shook her head dejectedly. “Masterpon, that rude to Mythra. She spent a lot of time and love to make food.”

“Mehmeh? How Tora in wrong? Poppi only defend Mythra because Poppi cannot eat food!” 

Mythra set her spoon down a little too forcefully. “Offensive to ingredients? I’ll have you know my cooking was once complimented by the Emperor of Mor Ardain!”

“Mor Ardain have Empress not Emperor. That sound like lie.”

“It is not! This was five hundred years ago, but it’s not like food changed in that time.” She took a deliberate slurp of her food, still glaring at Tora like she wanted him to puff out of existence.

Rex gulped, glad that the pressure was off of him. _‘Were the Emperor’s taste buds that bad or was he some kind of saint?’_

He cleared his throat and set about trying to change the topic. “So umm, maybe we should talk about our objectives.” He took another sip of the broth and physically had to suppress a violent shudder. 

“So the way I see it we need to check on Vess and Mabon, leave a message for Gramps about where to meet us, and escape Torigoth. I thought about having us leave when Gramps got here, but it didn’t seem like a good idea to wait that long and I couldn’t think of a good way to safely find out when he arrives, get to the docks, and get away without alerting anyone. Seems like it would be best to leave the city itself.”

Mythra slowly pulled her hate filled gaze away from Tora. “Those seem like solid plans. We still need to decide on a destination, but personally I think we should leave Gormott entirely. Those soldiers will be searching the Titan itself and other towns, not just Torigoth. It’s probably safer to have your Grampa meet us on another Titan and not elsewhere on Gormott.”

“Tora and Poppi still want to come! Tora will check with people in city what talk is of town and take message for Rex’s Grampypon to docks. If Rex-Rex tell Tora where these people live, Tora can check on them too.”

“Thanks Tora! That’d be a big help.” Rex took another spoonful and barely noticed the taste. Maybe it was growing on him or maybe his taste buds were going numb. Was that a thing that could happen?

“That still leaves escaping Torigoth, but we can’t just consider Torigoth. We’ll need a way to leave Gormott itself. We can’t use one of the ships at the docks or we’ll just cause trouble.”

“Tora might know how to do that too. Tora’s Uncle Umon have shipyard on Titan’s bumbum. Could sneak out of city and go there.”

“Look at you Tora, already pulling your weight.” 

Mythra scoffed. “Well, maybe his helpfulness outweighs his bad taste in food. So where do we go? I wanted to go to Mor Ardain at some point, but we can’t do that unless this mess is cleaned up. Leftheria and Spessia are on my list for spots. Uraya too.”

Rex looked down as his spoon hit the bottom of the bowl. When had he finished eating it? “Well, I’ve never heard of Spessia before, but Leftheria is my home. As much as I’d like to go back it might not be the best choice just yet. Niall knows I’m from Leftheria. Uraya might be a good choice since they’re not on great terms with Mor Ardain.”

He considered the options. Returning to Argentum wasn’t a great option except maybe briefly. The same could be said of the other Trade Guilds. Indol was pretty strict and he didn’t even know where Tantal was. Rushing off to Uraya would put Gramps so far behind them though. Maybe one of the mid-sized Titans or an island Titan?

“Say...I think I know a place. It’s way off the beaten path so nobody would ever check there, Gramps will know how to get there if I leave him a message, and it’ll be a pleasant place to kill a little time before Gramps catches up with us.”

Poppi came over and took his dirty bowl, and then did the same for Mythra and Tora. Rex noticed that despite his complaints Tora had finished his food as well. “Thanks Poppi.”

Mythra leaned partway across the table toward him. “So, don’t leave us in suspense? Where did you have in mind?”

“Nowhere really. A small ancient Titan far away from any others. There’s nothing there so it’s a nice safe spot for us.”

“Hmm, seems like a good enough place. I guess the next few steps just mean we’ll have to rely on Tora.”

“Mehmeh?” The nervous look on Tora’s face didn’t inspire any confidence in Rex or Mythra. Even so, this was their best path forward that didn’t involve hurting anyone.

“Okay Tora, so let me tell you where to find Vess and Mabon. Then I’ll write up a letter for you to bring to the Dockmaster.”

This would work. It had to. If all went well they could be leaving Gormott in a day or two’s time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tora and Poppi! They're both a ton of fun to write. I had also been looking forward to writing the first fight scene with Niall. It was nice to give him an opportunity to DO something other than uselessly get himself blown up.


	13. A Proposition And...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is underway and I'm participating, so don't be surprised if chapters come out slightly faster. The goal for NaNoWriMo is 50k words in the month of November so this will likely lead to multiple chapters this month.

Tora quickly hurried away from the docks and up the stairs. Tora hopeful that Rex-Rex’s message reach Grampypon of Rex-Rex. Since Tora complete one part of mission successfully, maybe Tora deserve a snack. 

So Tora waddled his way to a sweets shop that Tora liked, before remembering that Tora’s wallet was flat and sad. With a huff Tora shuffled away. Tora needed sweets to boost power and energy. There so many big bully soldiers everywhere that Tora feel splishy-sploshy in tumtum. Bully soldiers were checking everyone coming in and out of entrance to Torigoth. Only two ways out of Torigoth. Exit by way of Torigoth Arch or from docks on boaty jaunt. 

House of Tora in cheap part of town so Tora was above Cloud Sea, no homes below his. Sometimes Tora would stare out at Cloud Sea for relaxing time. But drop to Cloud Sea was far and would hurt lots. Couldn’t lower down by rope. Would be too slow and someone would see. Maybe have Poppi fly them down? But how they make it away from dock without being seen? 

Since Tora not have answer for that, Tora continue on journey, asking about town what was going on, why bully soldiers out, and so on. Tora not really learn new information, but that both good and bad. Should be no surprises. 

Lastly Tora goes through town to home of Rex-Rex’s friends. Tora not find anyone there so Tora wait for two hours. No one come home, so Tora decides it okay to leave. Maybe Rex-Rex will write note for Tora to bring to house of Mabon and Vess. 

Since bully soldiers still running around, Tora avoid hidden back entrance to home and just go through front even though that farther away. 

When Tora arrive, he find Poppi and Mythra playing cat’s cradle while Rex-Rex looked hard at book on table and scribbled on paper. “Tora returns! Tora mostly complete missions. Did not find Rex-Rex’s friends even after wait two hours.”

Tora’s three house guests looked up at his arrival. Rex-Rex smile because he nice, Poppi look excited to see Tora, and Mythra look bored. Tora think maybe Mythra not like him much, but it not fair. She so cool, posing with big sword on shoulder and boasting to bully soldiers. Maybe if Tora make Mythra understand true wonders of maidiness she like Tora more?

Rex-Rex not look upset Tora could not meet friends of Rex-Rex. “It’s okay Tora. We’ll try to check again before we leave, but if we have to I can just leave a note. You dropped off my message with the Dockmaster?”

Tora nods. “Tora complete all other tasks. Bully soldiers guard exit so only way Tora can think of to escape Torigoth by Cloud Sea, but Tora not know how to do it sneaky sneaky. If swim through Cloud Sea we sure to get seen. Could try to steal boat for boaty jaunt, but Tora not sure about that.”

Rex-Rex rubbed his chin. “Sure we’d get spotted if we swam at the surface...but what if we swam under the clouds?”

“Mehmeh? Is long long way, it no problem for Poppi, but Tora cannot hold breath that long.” Tora not want to drown.

Mythra and Poppi made another exchange in their game of cat’s cradle, changing the pattern. “I hate to agree with Tora, but there’s no way I can hold my breath for a swim long enough to get out of sight of Torigoth.”

Poppi interject cheerfully saying, “Poppi not need oxygen! Poppi powered by ether furnace created by Professor Soosoo, Grampypon of Tora.”

Rex-Rex grin smugly. “Yeah, but there is a way we can breathe underwater. I do it all the time.”

Mythra gulped. “Wait...do you mean?”

“That’s right! Tora, Mythra, we’re going to get you some salvager’s gear!”

\-------------------

Rex wrote up a list of all the equipment they would need and told Tora where to go in town for good used salvaging equipment. Thankfully they only needed two basic suits with minimal depth ratings and a couple basic cylinders for air. By going with the basics they should be able to buy something on hand without burning all their resources. 

He had given Tora instructions to ask for used trial equipment as that type was typically the cheapest. It was meant for training newbie salvagers. By having Tora use that term Rex was hopeful that the shop owner wouldn’t try to upsell the Nopon. 

Outside of making sure their equipment was properly sealed, Rex only planned on covering the absolute basics with them. They just needed to stay under the surface and swim after all. It was a bit of a shame. It would have been fun to run them through the early salvager training drills. 

He had tried to do the same for Nia once, but on top of not being particularly interested Rex hadn’t been able to find a salvager’s helmet that would fit her ears. A custom helmet to accommodate her ears would have been surprisingly expensive. 

Rex realized that he was subconsciously patting the waterproof container he wore. The place he was keeping Nia’s Core Crystal. He looked up from his current distraction, which ironically he had gotten distracted from, but neither Poppi nor Mythra were paying attention. Poppi was busy teaching Mythra how to play Noponcho. It looked like Mythra was enjoying herself. 

Shaking away his distracting thoughts he refocused on the book of math problems that was laid out in front of him. It wasn’t an activity he considered fun, but he tried to do this sort of thing every so often to stay sharp. Learning how to do the calculations necessary for salvaging had been the hardest part. He wasn’t especially great at the math and often second guessed himself, but it was a necessary part of being a skilled salvager. 

Some of the older salvagers had recommended these sorts of books, filled with complicated math problems and mathematical brain teasers, as a way of honing your skills. Sometimes Rex wondered if they hadn’t just been trying to sound impressive. Still, it was a habit he had picked up and stuck to. Well, a little. Maybe once or twice every few months. 

Rex sighed and set his pencil down. He was too distracted to concentrate on math. It wasn’t interesting enough to hold his focus right now. If all went well they would be ready to depart first thing the next morning. They would make their ways underwater and come up on Lascham Island. That connected just enough with the main body of Gormott that they would be able to head out onto Garanti Plain. 

From there they would have to move cautiously to avoid any Ardanian troops that might be searching for them. Depending on how far out of their way they had to travel it might take one or two days to reach Umon’s shipyard. It felt a little strange to know that Tora knew the same shipwright that had been recommended to Rex and Nia. Tora had referred to Umon as his Uncle, but according to Poppi Umon was just an old friend of Tora’s father. Not blood related. Even so, it made Alrest feel a little smaller.

With the current distance between Gormott and Argentum Gramps would probably be arriving, assuming his usual pace, at least two days after they departed Gormott. That was factoring in it taking them two days to make it to Umon. A more traditional boat could make it to the unnamed Titan in about two days. Gramps would probably need four or five. So that meant if everything went right those four or five days would be all they’d have to wait for Gramps to arrive. 

It would be nice to see the old Titan again. Gramps would probably miss Nia, but Rex was sure he would have something encouraging to say. Would Gramps like Rex’s new friends? 

Mythra got up from where she and Poppi were playing and walked by the table, heading for Tora’s baskets of various ingredients. As she passed she glanced down at what Rex was working on. Without pausing she reached out, tapped a spot on the page, and said, “That part is off. Looks like you forgot a step.”

Rex looked up at her in surprise. “Wait, you could tell that quickly?”

She shrugged nonchalantly. “Sure, it’s a lot less complicated than some of the calculations I have to make.”

“Huh? What calculations?” That was the first Rex was hearing about this. 

“Some of the attacks I can use are exceptionally powerful. Using them normally requires some really high level calculations, but it gets way tougher if I have to avoid causing collateral damage. Of course maybe it’s not a fair comparison. I knew how to do that kind of math from the moment I Awakened.” 

Rex hung his head. “You’re right about that. I had to really struggle to learn this stuff. Seems awful convenient to just pop out knowing all these things. Though, I guess it’s not like you got to pick what you know.”

Mythra sauntered over to the baskets and plucked out an apple, which she proceeded to take a large bite out of. “Yeah, if I could just pick the things I wanted to know how to do there’d be a whole lot of things I’d want to know. How to sew, how to sing, how to tell fortunes, and a bunch of other things. Just a bunch of stupid stuff I guess.”

“I dunno if I’d call that stuff stupid. I’ve never had much of a traditional education, but Gramps always used to say that learning things for the sake of learning is worthwhile. I never quite got that, but he’s probably right. It’s not just about what’s useful. Sometimes it’s just fun to know things I suppose.” 

She took another bite of her apple and chewed thoughtfully. “Your Gramps doesn’t sound too bad.”

“He’s pretty awesome. Don’t tell him I said so though. His head is already big enough as it is.”

Mythra seemed to consider something for a moment, and then looked over at Poppi before going back to Rex. “Say, Rex. Do you want to join our game?”

“Huh? Oh, sure. Sounds like fun.” 

\----------------------

Rex had almost finished sorting through the gear Tora had brought back. So far it looked like Tora had gotten everything on the list Rex had given him. Decent quality stuff, nothing fancy, and it had come at a fair price. Among that gear was a waterproof storage pack that they could bring food in. 

From the looks of it Tora’s suit would be the right size, but Mythra’s would be a little too big. It would be awkward to move in on land and even underwater, but it shouldn’t interfere too much given how simple their trip should be. It pained him to think about, but when they got back onto the mainland they might have to abandon both new suits. They’d be too bulky to carry conveniently. A waste, that’s what it was.

While Rex handled the salvaging gear the other three were sorting out food stuff for them to pack up and take with them. Tora was also sorting out the absolutely necessary emergency parts if Poppi needed to be repaired. Rex hadn’t considered that, as an Artificial Blade, Poppi wouldn’t have the regenerative abilities of a normal Blade. 

Rex knew from Nia’s instruction that a Blade could regenerate from almost anything over time, but he had really only seen Nia heal minor cuts on herself. Simple wounds that she could have just as easily used an Art to heal. It was hard to imagine what it would feel like for a Blade to have to heal from a serious injury. What did it feel like for Poppi while she was being repaired? Did Poppi feel pain? She had to have some kind of sensory capabilities on her metal body or she’d be unable to adjust her strength and would crush things she grabbed. 

He had considered asking Poppi and Tora more questions about how Poppi worked, but the few questions he had asked had gotten answers that were so technical they bordered on nonsensical. How Tora could sound like an idiot one second and then a master engineer the next was baffling. 

All the chatter in Tora’s house came to a sudden halt at the sound of a door opening and footsteps on the wooden floor. When Rex saw Tora’s shocked face he knew there had to be something wrong. He dashed to the corner when Mythra’s sword rested and snatched it up, holding it at the ready. Mythra was on her feet and channeling ether to Rex in an instant. Poppi and Tora were a few moments slower, but within seconds Tora had a heavy shield held out before him.

Special Inquisitor Niall strode into the room, his Blade Aegaeon a few steps behind him. Niall appeared perfectly calm, hands clasped behind his back as he nonchalantly stopped at the other end of the room. “Hello. Please, don’t panic.”

Rex gripped the hilt of the sword tightly and edged slightly back to give himself a little room. Tora’s kitchen area was too cramped for a real fight. Any combat that broke out would tear the place apart. “What are you doing here?”, Rex asked at the same time Mythra said, “How did you find us?”

Niall reached up and adjusted the brim of his hat. “I’m here to ask politely for the four of you to surrender yourselves into my custody. As to how, well I tracked your furry friend here.”

Tora slightly lowered his shield in shock. “Mehmeh? But nobody know Tora know Rex-Rex. Why bully soldier follow Tora?”

“Because all Drivers must register with Indol. That means there are records of every Driver in Torigoth. There was only one Blade who was a resident of Torigoth whose element was electric and whose weapon was a Bitball. It took very little effort to learn that Rex here had previously associated with said Blade and her Driver. After that, I made certain someone was watching that Driver’s home.”

Rex gritted his teeth. “If you hurt Vess or Mabon I’ll…”

Niall shook his head. “Nothing like that. In fact, my soldiers have seen no sign of Blade or Driver. However, they did witness the young Nopon visit and then leave. Wanting no stone unturned I had him followed. Then, when he later purchased salvaging equipment, I made the assumption that it was for Rex, given that you are a salvager.”

“Poppi think small soldier is foolish. One Driver and Blade against two? Small soldier cannot win.” Rex was pretty sure Poppi was trying to look intimidating, but it was more like a cute child playing pretend. 

The Special Inquisitor shrugged. “Most likely. But as I said, my intent isn’t to fight you. Soldiers are at the front and rear entrances to your home. Yes, we located the hidden door. It wasn’t difficult once we knew the location of this place. In addition, there is an Archelon holding position on each side as well. There’s no escape without mass casualties, and I don’t believe that’s what you want.”

Mythra rolled her eyes. “So you, what, think that’ll make us surrender to you? We could just hold you hostage and get out that way.”

Aegaeon silently placed a hand on the hilt of his katana, but Niall motioned for his Blade to stand down. Aegaeon relaxed immediately. “I ordered the troops to give me ten minutes. If I don’t come out within that time they will attack. If I come out as your captive, they will attack. More importantly, I want you four to surrender yourselves into my custody. Not the custody of Torigoth or Mor Ardain, but to that of the Special Inquisitor.”

“What’s the difference?”, asked Rex.

“The difference is that under my custody I can protect each of you while I search for answers. I don’t believe you murdered those soldiers. However, the soldiers of Torigoth are furious and want vengeance. Having you under my protective custody will give me time to sort out the details and understand what truly happened.”

“Psh,” said Mythra. “You think we’d believe that? Seven soldiers and that big Blade with the hammer attacked us in the middle of the night. Two men with spears, two with guns, and two with swords. There was a seventh on the rooftop with some kind of weird net gun. They were prepared for a stealthy attack and were trying to capture me. Then when we beat them and send them running home we find out that we’re blamed for the murder of six soldiers with the accussers being one soldier and the same Blade that attacked us? Get a grip.”

She planted a hand against the table and the wood began to sizzle as her hand glowed. “I don’t care what your personal beliefs are, there’s no way we’re surrendering to people who would murder their own soldiers to cover up an attack and then use that as an excuse to use greater force.”

Rex hadn’t put all of that together, but it made sense. Maybe Niall had nothing to do with it, but any army that killed its own men to accomplish a goal wasn’t something that could be trusted. “She’s right. No matter what you say, we’ve got no real assurances of our safety.”

There was something troubled in Niall’s eyes. Like he was struggling with an idea or perhaps a decision. “There...there is one way I can guarantee your safety. Permit me to get something from my pocket.”

When they didn’t respond he slowly reached into his pocket and then pulled out a small disc of metal with several buttons along the side. “This is a portable communicator. It uses an ether link with a compatible device to broadcast an image of the person on the other end. The person who happens to share the twin of this device is my cousin.”

“What bully soldier’s cousin got to do with it?”, asked Tora.

“My cousin has the authority to offer blanket protection for all of you that cannot be countermanded. If she gives the word then anyone who attacks you would be the enemy of Mor Ardain.” 

“Your cousin? The Driver? What is she, some kind of bigwig general?” Rex knew the Special Inquisitor was some kind of important role, but it seemed like Niall was more connected than he had let on. 

“I...may have left out a detail. Most people are familiar with who I am and who my cousin is, so I enjoyed having a conversation with someone who didn’t. My cousin can give that kind of order because she…”, he took a deep breath. “She is the Empress of Mor Ardain.”

“What?!”, came the collected response. 

“So please, give me the opportunity to bring her into the conversation. That should allow us to resolve everything safely and peacefully.”

Rex looked over at Mythra. “What do you think?”

Mythra seemed troubled and she chewed her bottom lip for several seconds as she considered. Finally she said, “Do it. Hugo was an honorable person, I owe his memory at least this much. And I guess I’m not surprised Niall is related to the ruler of Mor Ardain. You look almost exactly like Hugo after all.”

“Yes, I’ve seen the portraits. Emperor Hugo’s brother is my distant ancestor. Thank you Mythra. Give me just a moment.” Niall fiddled with a few of the buttons and dials on the side of the communicator, and then pressed one specific button forcefully. There was silence for almost a full minute before the device came to life.

Ether poured out of the top of the disc and formed itself into a distorted image in blue of a stern woman’s face. Due to the nature of the image it was hard to get a good idea of what she looked like. “Your Majesty, thank you for answering my call.”

The responding voice was as stern as her expression and surprisingly deep for a woman. She had the same elevated Ardanian accent as Niall. “Special Inquisitor Niall. Since you’ve contacted me in this manner I assume it is in regards to a matter of some import.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I wanted to have you speak to the Aegis and her Driver. It is my opinion that the current charges against them are fraudulent. I wish to offer them my protective custody while I investigate and they seem willing to cooperate if they have the assurances of the Empress that they will be unharmed.” Niall swiveled the communicator so that the Empress could get a better look at them.

“To those here, may I present Her Majesty, Empress of Mor Ardain, Defender of Alrest, Queen of Gormott and the Expanded Territories, Morag Ladair.”

The Empress’s gaze swept over them imperiously. Severe and calculating. Had the image been larger and less blue Rex was certain she would have been intimidating. _‘I bet the Gormotti don’t like that Queen title. And Defender of Alrest, really?’_

“So, the Aegis herself. And to think that her new Driver is truly this boy. Very well, Aegis Mythra. Will you submit to the full authority of the Empire of Mor Ardain? By decree of the Empress and the authority of the Ardanian Senate your crimes and the crimes of any associated with you shall be forgiven in full. This shall occur with one singular requirement.” Niall’s face began to fall and he looked like he was biting back panic. This was clearly not what he had been expecting.

“Your Majesty I~”.

He stopped as she barked an order at him. “Not another word Special Inquisitor. You act on behalf of the throne. This is the command of myself and the Senate. You will not deviate.”

Niall bowed his head to her. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

The Empress continued to address them, but Rex already had a mounting sense of dread rising within him. Mythra looked ready to spit thunder. “All of your crimes, past and present, shall be forgiven if the Aegis Mythra submits and becomes the Blade of the Empress of Mor Ardain, beholden to my command the commands of Mor Ardain. Will you accept?”

Mythra’s hand seared straight through the table, causing Tora to let out a yelp and dance backwards. “Hell no! There’s no way I’d bow down to anyone and I sure as hell won’t become the Blade of someone like you.”

Empress Morag sighed and shook her head. “Very well. Then let it be known that the Driver of the Aegis Rex and the Aegis Mythra are hereby declared Enemies of the State. They are to be hunted down and captured with full force. Any who aid and abet them are also Enemies of the State and shall be put to death!”

Rex released one hand’s grip on the sword so he could heft it in one hand and point it directly at her ether generated face. “You hurt my friends and I’ll kick your arse myself lady!”

The corner of her lips quirked up in a half smile. “I’d enjoy the opportunity to teach you your place, boy. Special Inquisitor Niall! Capture these two and dispatch the others!”

Her image vanished, leaving Niall staring blankly at where it had been. Shaking a little Niall looked up and behind himself at Aegaeon. “I...I don’t understand. Why would Morag...why would the Empress say those things? What’s happening back home Aegaeon?”

“Lord Niall...the will of the Empress is final.” Aegaeon placed his hand on the hilt of his katana again. “We must carry out the will of the Empress. That is our duty.”

The look of despair on Niall’s face as the young man turned back to face them was enough to convince Rex that Niall had been telling the truth. Not that it mattered anymore. “Niall...for what it’s worth, I bet we could have been friends if things were different.”

Rex took a deep breath as everyone squared up to fight. “Mythra, the waterproof bag! Poppi, get ready with your boots! Tora, you’ve got nobody living below you, right?”

“Meh? N-no.”

Aegaeon drew his sword in a flash, Mythra grabbed the pack, and Rex twisted the sword so it was pointed straight down. Niall’s eyes widened as he understood what was about to happen. It was too late. Rex drove the sword directly into the wood at their feet and unleashed a wave of light ether. The floor burst apart into splinters, spraying downwards as all of them began to fall towards the Cloud Sea far below. 

Poppi’s jet boots kicked on and she grabbed Tora with one hand and then flew to Rex, grabbing his right hand. Rex snapped the sword onto his belt and snagged Mythra’s free hand with his own. With all of that extra weight Poppi’s jets seemed to only be slowing their rapid descent. 

Niall and Aegaeon plummeted past them toward the Cloud Sea. Seconds before they hit Aegaeon made a motion with his hands and a section of the water rose up to meet them, cushioning their fall as they entered the Cloud Sea. 

Poppi’s jets managed to stop them just barely above the water. The strain was great enough that Rex was certain his shoulder would have popped out of the joint without Mythra’s ether strengthening his body. 

Tora yelled over the sound of Poppi’s jets. “Poppi Boosters only operate for limited time! Must get away before they run out!”

“Gotcha! Poppi, do those work underwater?” 

Mythra’s eyes went wide. “Wait, no way!”

“Aye-aye! Poppi activating dive mode!” Poppi dragged them under the surface of the Cloud Sea and fired her jet boots at their maximum capacity. The rest of them were forced to hold their breath and close their eyes as they were hauled through the water at high speed. With the white surface of the Cloud Sea it was unlikely anyone could spot them even at this speed. Or at least that was Rex’s hope.

Being yanked through the Cloud Sea like this was a wild new experience for Rex. He had let himself be towed behind Gramps once, but the speed difference was drastic. The water felt so much denser when they were moving like this. He could only hope that Tora and Mythra could hold their breath at least as long as Poppi’s boots held out. Rex could do a little over eight minutes most of the time, but he hadn’t been able to brace himself as well so that much was unlikely. Mythra and Tora, maybe a few minutes each.

With the water rushing around him so quickly it was almost impossible to hear anything else. Even time itself seemed hard to judge. He just focused on counting. If they hit two minutes before Poppi’s boosters ran out he would have to see if he could get her to stop. Maybe if he let go she would pause? Either way, it was best not to put Tora and Mythra at risk of drowning. 

As he counted a strange sensation came over him. He was an experienced swimmer and diver so he had trained himself to hold his breath for long periods. So why was it that it felt like his lungs were already starting to burn? 

Rex could feel his heart thumping against his chest. Faster and faster. Finally, just as he was about to hit the two minute mark, their movement slowed. With the reduced speed Rex was finally able to open his eyes. The sea clouds around them were frothed up, but he could make out Tora flailing around to his right and a look backwards showed Mythra, her eyes still clenched shut. 

He squeezed Mythra’s hand to reassure her, and then tapped Poppi’s arm so she would release him. Then he kicked his way up, breaching the surface and taking a huge gasping breath. Mythra came up out of the water a second later, coughing loudly, her hair drifting with the currents around her. Poppi broke out of the Clouds, practically dragging Tora up with her. 

Rex swam a little closer to Mythra. “Are you okay? Is everyone okay?”

Mythra reached up and settled the bag with their supplies onto her shoulder and then used her free hand to sweep her hair out of her eyes. Those golden orbs peered out at him. There was a faint blush on her cheeks as she said, “Yeah, I’m fine. You can let go, I’m not gonna disappear.” 

“Oh! Right.” He released his grip on her hand and awkwardly looked away, pretending to check on Tora and Poppi. “You two alright over there?”

Poppi swam in place with only her legs, holding her arms over her head with Tora aloft in her grip. “Poppi is a-okay! Masterpon suffering from waterlog, but will be fine.”

“Tora is seasick. Tora does not want to get on ride again mehmeh…” 

Rex looked around to try and get his bearings. He had no idea how much distance Poppi might have covered in that time, but they didn’t want to get caught by Niall and Aegaeon. Let alone any of the other Ardanian troops. 

There was no sign of the Special Inquisitor, but just a little ways ahead of them was…

“That’s Lascham Island! You mean we’re already here? No way…Poppi, you’re more awesome than I realized.”

“It true. Poppi is incredible. Poppi use nearly all ether reserves on Poppi boosters. Will take time to recharge, but Poppi is glad Rex understands awesomeness of Poppi.”

“Alright guys, let’s swim the last leg and then we can catch our breath on Lascham Island. We’ll have a bit of a walk after that.” Collectively they all swam over to the semi-attached island, Poppi carrying Tora above her head the whole time. 

When they were on shore everyone sat down to take a breather, except for Poppi who remained standing and watching them. She also took a comb out of one of the pockets on Tora’s clothes and began combing his wet hair. “Masterpon get very floofy in water so Poppi will fix.”

Mythra set the waterproof bag down on the ground and then hugged her arms around herself and made her wet gloves disappear so she could rub her arm arms. “I feel like I went through a wash cycle. Rex, how are you not cold right now?”

“Me? Oh that’s simple.” He tugged at his blue clothes. “This is a special type of cloth designed for salvaging. It's like a wetsuit. My body underneath is dry and it helps keep me warm. Honestly this outfit is great, it’s good for hot and cold temperatures. Course if it gets really cold I’d need one that covers the rest of my arms and legs, but I don’t see myself ending up in the snow or anything.” 

Mythra flopped backwards and stared up at the sky. “Seems handy.”

“Couldn’t you, you know, just make your clothes out of the same material? Or copy my outfit?” 

She rolled onto her side so she was looking over at him. Rex had a sudden image in his mind of Nia in the same posture, from some of the nights where they would gaze at the stars. “Yeah, I think I’ve got a better sense of style than that.”

“Right. Hey, wait a second!”

“Anyway, even if I made my clothes look the same as yours it wouldn’t work the same. It’d be the appearance, but not the same material. Not without me knowing how it’s made anyway. Same reason I wouldn’t want to duplicate a dive suit. Too complicated to be worth the risk of messing up.” 

“Makes sense. So I’d say give it five minutes and then we’ll head out. We’ll want to move quietly and swing wide, staying clear of people. If it looks like there are too many patrols out and around we might have to hunker down and wait until nightfall. Tora, will you be okay to go by then?”

The hefty Nopon was looking more like his old self. “Can be. Tora have question though.”

“Sure Tora, go for it.” 

“Did Rex-Rex really have to destroy house of Tora? Tora’s insurance not cover act of Blade!” Tora flapped his wings furiously, his eyes scrunched up tight with irritation.

“Uh...sorry. My bad. It was the only way I could think of to get us out of there without hurting anyone. Look, when everything is sorted out I’ll help you rebuild, okay? I’m pretty good with my hands.”

Above Tora, Poppi chided her Masterpon. “Please remain still or Masterpon’s hair get messier not better.”

“Is fine Poppi!” Tora tilted his head back a little as he considered. “Rex-Rex really help Tora fix house?”

“Of course! It’s the Seventh Rule of the Salvager’s Code. Never leave a debt unpaid. Right, Mythra?”

Mythra rolled over to face the opposite direction. “Don’t go bringing me into this. You’re the one who knocked the floor out of Tora’s house.”

“Ah, come on!”

\--------------------

Once they were all rested it was time to begin their trek. Poppi insisted on carrying the bag of their supplies and Rex didn’t resist having seen how strong she was. Mythra could only hope that Tora wouldn’t slow them down. As a Nopon he had short stubby legs and to top it off he didn’t seem that physically fit. 

Before they left Mythra created the hooded cloak with its Gormotti ears to help disguise her from anyone looking at a distance. After a few moments with the hood up and the cloak pressing her wet hair against her back she made the decision to pin it up into a bun. It wasn’t a style she particularly liked and it would make her hair dry slower, but it was better than the alternative. 

When they were up and off Lascham Island and she was able to look back out onto the Cloud Sea, she finally recognized where they were standing. “Well that’s a surprise.”

Rex followed her gaze, trying to figure out what she was looking at. “What’s a surprise?”

“I couldn’t tell when we were down there, but up here I can. Five hundred years ago, the last time I was here, that was a peninsula. To think that Gormott has decayed this much in that time.” It was a little scary to consider. The world really was in a rough state.

Rex nodded solemnly. “It’s true. Even Gormott is dying slowly but surely. Living space is...well you know. But hey, when we get to Elysium we can give people better lives. A place where they won’t have to worry about sinking beneath the clouds.”

“Yeah, I suppose.” He really did mean it. He was an earnest person. That forthright and cheerful attitude was so reminiscent of Addam. But Addam had never…

She shook the thought away and turned from the view of the Cloud Sea. “Let’s go.”

Despite his short legs, Tora seemed quite capable of keeping up. It probably helped that they weren’t running or going particularly fast. After all, they didn’t want to attract attention. They made special efforts to avoid any travelers. 

Progress was slow going and they were forced several times to go out of their way so that they didn’t encounter wildlife or people. Their day had been long and it eventually came time to call their journey complete for now. Sunset would soon be upon them and they needed to eat. They set up for the night beneath the boughs of a large tree that Tora called the Waytree. Mythra couldn’t remember if it had been there five hundred years before. Maybe?

Dinner consisted of simple sandwiches that Rex had put together and placed in sealed packets as extra protection. It wasn’t especially tasty, but it got the job done. They hadn’t had the opportunity to grab any sort of camping equipment like sleeping bags or pillows so they would be roughing it. 

They decided against starting a fire just in case it drew attention. It would have been nice for the extra warmth and to help her finish drying off, but it was best to avoid a fire for now. Poppi went into a ‘rest mode’ and Tora settled down, splayed out awkwardly. Besides Poppi it was Rex who seemed the most at ease just sleeping on the grass. For Mythra it took several minutes to find a good spot that was flat and had no rocks. 

She drifted off to sleep. To a restless sleep filled with dreams. Dreams or memories, sometimes it was hard to tell them apart. Not a nightmare, filled with fire and screaming and death, but a simple moment by a campfire. Everyone was chatting amicably with each other, laughing and going on and on about nothing and everything. Hugo telling some story about Addam, who would interject every so often. 

Brighid would chide her Emperor and fill in any blanks he left, with Lora asking questions that simply egged the two men on. Jin and Aegaeon were close by, having a quiet conversation about cooking techniques. Haze and Minoth were enjoying a discussion about an author they both liked. Milton was engaging Mikhail in some conversation about bugs, although Mikhail only commented occasionally.

Everyone was so happy and engaged with each other. It was beautiful and idyllic, no sign of the impending terror of Malos or his Artifices. They were like a band of wonderful friends out on a camping trip, not a group of warriors and tagalongs engaged in a journey of life or death.

And Mythra sat by herself, speaking to no one and no one talking to her. Alone in a crowd. She looked into the depths of the campfire and felt like she could see her own reflection looking back. But her reflection couldn’t talk to her and thus she was still alone. 

Mythra awoke coated in a thin layer of sweat. She hadn’t been awakened by the dream, but instead by a ripple in the ether. She focused her eyes through the darkness and faintly made out shapes moving across the plains coated in starlight. Thankfully the glow from the ether running through her own body, which was typically visible via spots on her armor at night, was covered by the cloak she was wearing. 

Carefully she crawled over to where Rex was sleeping, put a hand over his mouth and whispered to him. “Don’t panic, but I think there are people coming towards us.”

Rex jerked awake, his eyes wide with momentary confusion. Beneath her hand she felt him take a calming breath, so she pulled her hand away. “You get Tora and Poppi awake. When they are, I'm going to light up the field and see what’s going on. Just be ready.”

Her Driver gave her a brief nod and then he slinked towards the Nopon and Artificial Blade. Poppi was the first awake and Poppi herself got Tora up. When they all made motion that they were ready Mythra held her right hand up above her head and drew in ether from her source and from the faint light of the stars themselves. A light Blade had easy access to their element in ambient ether energy at almost all times. It would have been more convenient if it weren’t for her true power source.

Mythra created a tiny ball of light above her outstretched hand and then threw it as hard as she could out across the plain. Then she clenched her hand into a fist and the light ball detonated, bathing the Garanti Plain in an incredibly bright light. 

Spread out across the plain, now shielding their eyes, were several dozen Ardanian soldiers armed to the teeth, all of whom had been slinking carefully and quietly through the darkness. Among the soldiers were a number of the dog-like Ardanian Rotts. Mythra could also see two Archelons lumbering along with their cannons at the ready and the gun position on their backs mounted and prepared. There was even a floating Ardanian Fighter, a type of flying Titan weapon manned by a single soldier. This had to be nearly everything Torigoth could muster. 

Mythra was sure Niall and Aegaeon were out there. Perhaps the Ardanians had even sent the newbie Drivers out again. She caught sight of the large body of Dolmes, but found it unlikely that Consul Dughall would be present. “Decision time! Fight or run?”

“Tora vote run!” Despite his words, Tora had prepared his heavy shield as if ready for battle. 

Rex nodded slowly. Upon seeing the soldiers Mythra had started to send him ether, but that would be useful whether they decided on either course of action. “Tora’s right. We need to get out of here. There’s no way we can fight so many.”

Mythra chose not to disagree with him. “Then let’s go!”

Together the four of them began to flee as fast they could. There was a shout from among the soldiers and the night, still bathed in her artificially generated light, erupted with gunfire. The soldiers began to charge forward as they fired and the machine guns on the Archelons and Ardanian Fighter opened up with a deafening roar, spraying bullets towards their group. 

Mythra reacted by expanding an ether barrier behind them, Poppi’s coming online just a little slower. The little Artificial Blade didn’t have combat experience yet, but Mythra was glad for the assistance. Maintaining the barrier against the onslaught of flying metal while fleeing was difficult even for her.

Then the Archelons opened fire with their cannons. Mythra and Poppi’s ether barrier withstood the first volley, four heavy shells that exploded into balls of fire against their barriers. The second volley put cracks in their defense that continued to be weakened by the onslaught. “Rex! While we’re running I can’t protect us well enough! We need to put at least one of those Archelon out of commission!”

As she spoke the Ardanian Fighter surged up and forward, clearly intent on coming at them from above. Rex looked back over his shoulder at the mess that was thundering towards them. “What do you suggest? Can we handle a head on attack long enough to take them down?”

A third volley from the Archelons’ cannons sent a wave of cracks running through the combined barrier. “With Foresight at full power we should be able to dodge well enough to get a couple of well placed attacks off. All we need to do is knock out those heavy cannons!”

“Got it!” 

Mythra held her hands out towards Rex, supplying him with even more energy. “Tora, Poppi, get ready to fly up for a moment. You just need to survive without the barrier for a few seconds.”

“Roger!”, shouted Poppi.

“Meh...if only we could hit them at the same time…”, whined Tora.

She could. She could do that. She could wipe out this attack force in mere moments without even exerting herself. If she focused she could lance down devastation and vaporize the two Archelon while leaving the other soldiers intact. With that single display of power they might make the soldiers retreat. All she had to do was reach out and…

The smell of burnt flesh. A city in flames. A Titan’s death throes. Screaming. Agony. The weeping of despair. Those who had lost everything. Images flashed before Mythra’s eyes and she shuddered, clapping a hand over her mouth as nausea struck her hard. 

“I...I can’t...not again…”

She was vaguely aware of Rex crying out to her and the barrier beginning to break apart. She had to be strong. She had to act. She had to...but she couldn’t. She wasn’t strong enough. Strong enough to be allowed to wield that power.

The barrier shattered and one of the Archelons cried out in pain. They all looked out across the Garanti Plain as one of the cannons on the side of an Archelon exploded. Something flashed in the night and the second cannon exploded, then in rapid succession an impact destroyed the cannons of the other Archelon. 

Someone was running through the soldiers, lashing out with ether attacks that staggered the soldiers. Crackles of yellow and blue light, like tiny bolts of lightning that struck in every direction. A single woman with long pale hair ran through the crowd at the speed only a Blade or Driver could manage, sending a Bitball bouncing from soldier to soldier. 

When the woman reached the edge of the attacking forces she leapt high into the air and turned in mid leap, coming down in front of their group and raising her own ether barrier. “Hello dear,” she said in a sweet voice that seemed at odds with her actions.

Rex gawked up at her. “Vess?!”

“I don’t think I can maintain this barrier for long. I was hoping you might have a plan.”

“Poppi have plan of attack!” With that the tiny Artificial Blade rocketed up into the air, Tora’s shield in hand. As they watched a drill extended from the surface and she plowed directly into the Ardanian Fighter. The force of the blow sent the Fighter hurtling off course, spinning away to crash land a few Peds off. 

Poppi landed with a skid and sent a vortex erupting out of the end of the drill, bowling over a dozen or so soldiers. The soldiers moved to focus their attacks on the Artificial Blade, but she held the shield up to absorb the oncoming bullets. 

Out of the chaos came the Special Inquisitor and his Blade. Niall struck out at Poppi with a series of high speed slashes with his katana, leaving trails of water in his wake. She desperately fended off the more seasoned Driver’s strikes with her heavy duty shield. Tora yelped and ran to help his Blade. 

Rex held out his hand to Mythra. “You don’t have to tell me what’s wrong, but...will you fight with me?”

Mythra felt her stomach settle. She grabbed Rex’s hand and let her Driver pull her to her feet. She looked at the Blade who had been defending them. “Thanks for the assist.”

“Glad to be of assistance. Mabon and I couldn’t let the Empire do that to Rex. Declaring him an Enemy of the State, saying he murdered people. Well, we knew that had to be a lie. So here I am. It’s like I’m back in my adventuring days.” With practiced ease Vess kicked her Bitball up into the air above her barrier, jumped up and then spiked it, charging it with electric ether. The Bitball slammed into the ground next to a group of soldiers and spun in place for a few seconds, arcing out shocks of electricity, stunning the men. 

“Nice move Vess! But, isn’t Mabon a little old for this kind of fighting?” Rex gripped the sword and stepped to the side of the barrier and launched a pair of ether blasts, knocking a handful of soldiers off their feet. He quickly stepped back behind the barrier for protection. 

The three newbie Imperial Drivers charged forward, flanked by more soldiers and with Dolmes coming up at the rear. Vess launched her Bitball straight down the middle of the pack with a forceful kick, making them scatter to avoid taking the hit. “Of course he is. It’s just me. After a little scolding I convinced Mabon to sneak out of the city shortly after I assisted the first time you were attacked. I’m not as strong without him, but I can’t risk his health on this sort of thing. He did have a message for you though.”

“Mythra, assist!” Mythra activated Foresight, allowing Rex to come out from behind the barrier and charge into the fray to meet the oncoming Drivers. He dodged their clumsy attacks with last second sways and ducks, sweeping about with their sword, knocking their strikes aside and forcing them back. Mythra moved in herself to offer support and found Vess running beside her.

In a moment’s time the two Blades and single Driver were fighting three pairs of Drivers and Blades, as well as handling the heavy attacks from Dolmes’ Greathammer. At first the soldiers tried to offer assistance, but Vess sent her Bitball out in a spiraling circle, forcing them to retreat lest they be electrocuted.

Mythra ducked under a stab from the Gormotti Driver Jac’s Megalance. Midway through the motion she reached up, grabbed the haft, and used it to pull Jac forwards and off balance. She drove her elbow up into his sternum and he collapsed to the ground, clutching at his chest in pain. 

To the side Rex deflected a blow from Dolmes’ hammer, which sent Rex skidding backwards. He used the force of the blow to leap back and spin, catching one of the other Drivers off guard and delivering a heavy sideways strike to the woman’s Blade weapon, knocking it out of her hand. Then Rex pivoted and slammed the hilt of the sword up into the Driver’s chin, toppling her onto her back.

Vess kept her opponent on guard by throwing the Bitball at her foe and then drawing it back to her with an invisible ether line, similar to how Mythra could partially control her sword. It was the standard method Bitball wielders used. Forced to avoid attacks from in front and behind the female Driver and her Blade struggled to keep up against the seasoned electric Blade. Finally Vess jumped up over an attack and brought the Bitball down onto the top of the Driver’s head, knocking her face first into the ground.

The mounted machine guns atop the Archelons roared to life, pelting their melee with a rain of bullets. Vess and Mythra raised their hands and created an ether barrier to block the volley of metal. “What the hell? Are you trying to get your own men killed?” 

A few of the bullets had even pelted Dolmes, who barely seemed to notice them. The three Common Blades took up the weapons of their defeated Drivers and attacked with, as expected, the greater natural skill of a Blade. It had been a mistake on their part to let their inexperienced Drivers take the lead. But that was the assumed method for Drivers and Blades. It hadn’t always been.

Mythra looked over at Vess. “When I give the word, drop the barrier!”

Without looking she shouted to Rex. “Rex, sword!”

She felt her sword hurtling through the air as Rex tossed it towards her. She attached an ether line without glancing back and drew it straight into her hand. “Drop it!”

Simultaneously with her Vess let the barrier fall. Mythra hurled her sword like a boomerang and watched it careen through the air, slicing through the barrel of the first heavy machine gun atop an Archelon and then through the other. Vess kicked her Bitball, overcharged with electric ether, directly into the head of one of the Archelon. The beast-like Titan howled in pain as electricity shocked its body, but it finally slumped to the ground unconscious. When the Bitball bounced back to her Vess did the same to the second Archelon.

Mythra caught her sword in her right hand and raised the left balled up in a fist towards Vess. “Nicely done.”

The mature lookined Blade seemed totally confused at what Mythra was trying to do. “Oh, thank you dear.”

Mythra sighed and turned back to the fight where Rex was dodging and weaving, keeping out of reach of the four Blades attacking him. With no weapon he was forced into total defense. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll teach you what a fist bump is after we bail him out!”

Together the two Blades rushed to Rex’s aid.

As the soldiers began to regroup and prepare their dog-like companions for another attack Tora and Poppi were engaged in heated combat with Niall and Aegaeon. 

Tora was guarding against the attacks of the Driver and Blade as best as he could, occasionally getting assistance from a quick barrier raised by Poppi. That would let him thrust the drill portion of his shield out to try and strike his opponents, but they were too fast and his attack was too straightforward. 

For their part Niall and Aegaeon were using a rapid fire hit and away tactic. Aegaeon would make lightning fast chopping strikes with his katana, and as Tora was reeling from guarding those, Niall would slip in from lower down and stab or slash with his combat knife. When one of those knife strikes nearly slipped past the shield Poppi moved in and deflected it with her metallic forearm. 

The Drill Shield was sturdy enough and Tora was quick enough that he was holding up for now, but it was becoming clear that even with Poppi’s ether empowering him that the newly minted Driver was wearing down under the hail of attacks from the Special Inquisitor and his Blade. 

Mythra came up from behind one of the Blades and delivered a spinning kick to the side of its head, the force of the blow hurling the Blade a handful of meters to the side. Vess’ Bitball struck another Blade dead in the middle of the back causing it to tumble forward and cry out in pain. Rex took advantage of that moment to grab the Blade’s wrist, turn, and use a shoulder throw to toss the Blade to the ground. 

That was more than enough time to allow Mythra to hand the sword off to Rex, who used the flat of the weapon to strike the third Blade right in the face, dropping it to the ground. Of course those were Blades, so they would be on their feet soon. 

The three of them turned their attention to Dolmes, whose ability to attack had been impaired by how large his weapon was and how difficult it would have been to avoid hitting his allies. It also seemed like he was warier of Rex and Mythra after their first encounter. The large Blade hefted his Greathammer and swung, but his attack hit Vess’ ether barrier.

Mythra and Rex had run off towards where Poppi and Tora were fighting Niall and Aegaeon. “Tora, Poppi! Switch opponents!”, Rex shouted. 

Rex and Mythra slid to a halt, Rex swinging the sword up at Niall, forcing the young man to dodge backwards. Rex’s next wide angled attack was blocked by Aegaeon’s katana. Tora and Poppi took the opportunity to move to join Vess in fighting Dolmes. Mythra and Rex were counting on the shield’s durability and Poppi’s superstrength to be a good match for the strong, but slow and durable Dolmes.

As Rex was crossing Blades with Aegaeon Niall came darting in from the side, aiming for Rex’s ribs. Mythra stepped in and grabbed the Special Inquisitor’s wrist, although his knife nicked her palm slightly, drawing a little blood. She used her superior strength to haul Niall upward and jabbed her free hand toward the center of his face. A small ether barrier popped up and her fist slammed painfully into it, jarring her wrist. 

Niall twisted his hand out of her grip and danced back a few steps. Gunfire cracked through the air as the soldiers finally rallied themselves again. It wasn’t as fast as before since they had to be cautious of hitting their allies, but they were attacking again. Even worse, those dog-like Rotts were bounding towards them. While individually weak, those things could swarm them and maybe even drag them down so the Drivers and soldiers could capture or kill them.

Mythra readed herself to fight and drew even more ether in, funneling a similarly greater amount into Rex. She still wasn’t sure what his limits were. Images of Addam writhing in agony as her raw power flowed through him held her back. “Rex, we need to~”

A massive ear-splitting roar shook the battlefield. The gunfire died out and Drivers and Blades alike stopped attacking. A ludicrously massive red-furred Gogol had appeared atop the hill nearby. It pounded its enormous fists against its mighty chest and let out another roar. 

Then it leapt down from the hill and onto the plain among the soldiers. 

Chaos reigned on the battlefield.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey look, it's a Morag. And a Rotbart. And a Vess. I really packed this chapter full of stuff didn't I?


	14. Debacle

A single swing of Territorial Rotbart’s titanic fists sent Ardanian soldiers sailing into the air, their bodies providing no more resistance than blades of grass. Some of the soldiers screamed in panic and began to flee, while others opened fire, pelting the behemoth Gogol’s body with bullets. It simply roared at them, seemingly unharmed by the gunfire. It raised two mighty fists into the air and slammed them down. The force was so tremendous that it seemed like the ground itself rippled. 

Niall shouted something, but Rex couldn’t hear what the Special Inquisitor was saying over the sounds of rifles and Rotbart. The younger man moved back from Rex and Mythra, Aegaeon following suit. Rex looked over towards the other battle of Drivers and Blades. It looked like the three enemy Drivers were being carried off by their Blades, gaining distance from the menacing beast. The large Blade Dolmes had instead charged headlong at Rotbart.

Dolmes jumped forward and slammed his hammer down onto the ground, sending a wave of fire in a straight line at Rotbart. When the flame was underneath the Gogol it erupted upwards into a pillar, striking Rotbart’s midsection. Rotbart howled in pain and smashed a fist down atop the Blade. Dolmes raised an ether barrier just barely in time, but the blow still buried Dolmes barrier and all into the ground. Like a hammer striking a nail.

Tora, Poppi, and Vess were running back to Rex and Mythra to join up with them. Now it looked like Niall was speaking into a small handheld communications device. Rex moved as close to Mythra as he could to make sure she heard him over Rotbart’s bellows. The sounds the beast was making were hurting his ears. They were louder than the cannons from earlier. “We should run for it! This is our chance!”

Mythra nodded and her Gormotti cloak dissipated. The emerald points on her armor were glowing. She raised a hand and snapped her fingers. In that moment the light she had summoned disappeared, plunging them all into momentary darkness, lit only by the emerald shine coming from her. 

Mythra began to run towards the hill and the rest followed after her, using her gleaming outline as a guiding post. Off to the side the remaining soldiers continued firing as they retreated, desperately hoping to slow Rotbart down. Niall and Aegaeon had attacked Rotbart with a series of ranged slashes of water ether. Even the Common Blades were launching attacks, but all it seemed to do was irritate the Gogol.

Even though those people had been trying to capture himself and Mythra, not to mention kill Tora and Poppi, he didn’t want them to be slain by Rotbart. Witnessing this display he truly understood why Rotbart’s bounty had suggested a team of a dozen elite Drivers would be necessary to subdue the beast. 

Dolmes burst free from the ground and charged forward, hurling his Greathammer so it smashed into Rotbart’s right knee. Once more the Gogol howled in pain and lashed out with a swing of its arm. Dolmes was sent tumbling end over end across the battlefield. Lights had burst to life from soldiers helmets and the scene was further illuminated in spurts by flashes of ether attacks.

Niall and Aegaeon charged ahead and leapt over the hand that Rotbart swept at them, hoping to scoop them up. Niall landed on Rotbart’s outstretched arm and raced upwards, slashing rapidly with Aegaeon’s katana as he did so. It cut into Rotbart’s arm, causing the beast to howl in pain. 

Rotbart slapped its free hand onto its arm like trying to swat an insect, but Niall jump up into the air and sank his sword into Rotbart’s other arm, hanging on for dear life. “It looks like...getting to your face is harder than I thought!”

The Gogol swung the arm Niall was clinging to back and forth, hoping to dislodge Niall. At the apex of one of those swings Niall planted his feet on its arm and then pulled, freeing the katana from Rotbart’s flesh and sending him up into the air. For a moment he was suspended in front of Rotbart’s chest. “This will have to do!”

Niall let out a shout and drew upon all of the ether stored in the katana for one big Art. Aegaeon was out of range to supply him with more. The Special Inquisitor swung his sword with all of his strength, sending a huge crescent shaped water Art dead ahead. That slashing attack struck Rotbart’s chest and blood splattered out. Rotbart howled so loud that Niall’s head felt like it was about to burst.

Aegaeon leapt up and caught Niall in the middle of his fall, landing heavily, but safely. Then he set his Driver down. “Well done.”

The affinity between the two of them resumed and Niall felt his strength surge again. Rotbart was bleeding, but not too badly and now it appeared to be focused on them. “It appears we’re keeping it distracted for the time being...but this level of attack won’t fell it. I had been hoping to hit its neck or eyes.”

Rex and the rest of them hit the top of the hill and were astounded to see a horde of Gogols go rushing past to join Rotbart. It seemed Territorial Rotbart was something like a ‘chief’ Gogol. Or at the very least the other Gogols were also infuriated by the light and the gunfire. Or maybe they had heard Rotbart’s pain and came to aid him. 

Another sound filled the air. A tremendously loud thrumming. Nothing that Rex recognized. “What is that?”

They looked around, searching for it. After a few moments Poppi’s eyes lit up like flashlights, providing the extra light they needed. And boy did they see something. The absurdly gigantic Ardanian Titan Battleship had risen above Torigoth and was moving towards the Garanti Plain. The massive ship dominated the skyline. It was too far away for Rex to be sure, but he distinctly remembered seeing cannons and machine guns on the battleship. A lot of them.

Mythra swore. “I think I figured out who Niall was trying to contact! I think it’s best we get as far away as possible!”

While the Aegis and her companions fled, the Ardanian forces were faced with an army of Gogols now aiding Rotbart. Niall called out a retreat, waving for his soldiers to escape. A Gogol appeared behind him and tried to strike him with both fists, but Aegaeon stepped into the path and cut the ape’s hands off with a wave of water. “My thanks Aegaeon!”

The two of them went back to back, slowly beating a retreat. They were forced to defend against Gogols attacking on all sides. The battleship needed them out of the way. The pack of Rotts swarmed upon the Gogols, two or three to each ape, biting and gnashing, trying to drag the creatures down like they had been trained to do with Humans. 

Some of the soldiers had stretched cables from the now conscious Archelons to the heavily injured Dolmes and were using the Titan weapons to drag the Blade away from the battlefield. Looking around everything looked just about clear enough. Niall pulled out his radio and gave the order. “Eliminate the enemy!”

The battleship opened fire from its numerous weapons. Heavy mounted machine guns rained bullets down on the horde of Gogols as well as Rotbart itself. Missile pods fired rocket after rocket, exploding upon the ground and tossing the apes into the air. Some of them pounded into Rotbart, staggering it and catching some of its fur aflame. The battleship focused its cannons exclusively on Rotbart as they were difficult to aim downwards, being intended for ship to ship combat or long-range bombardment. These more powerful explosive genuinely seemed to be hurting Rotbart.

Niall, Aegaeon, and all of the gathered soldiers continued to fall back. It was pure and utter chaos. As they watched, the mighty Rotbart put its knuckles to the ground, charged forward while being pelted by the might of the battleship, and then took a flying leap. It hurtled upwards, slamming into the battleship. 

Rotbart slipped a little on the metal, but managed to gain purchase. Then it started grabbing at the hull and pounded with its huge fists. It was at point blank range with a number of the battleship’s weapons so they continued to pour fire and death upon the creature. It roared in pain as it was burned and bloodied, but it kept going, tearing at the metal exterior of the ship. A missile pod exploded in the beast’s grip, mangling its hand, but it didn’t stop. 

Niall gulped, his body tense as he watched the mighty Territorial Rotbart try to rip open the Titan battleship. Its movements began to slow as the battleship itself began to list to one side. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, Rotbart’s bloodied hands and feet lost purchase and it dropped, crashing heavily onto the ground below. The battleship didn’t let up its attack, unloading everything it had. 

Eventually even Niall had to turn away.

\---------------------

Mythra and the others retreated further into the wild as the battle raged on behind them. About a minute later the night was filled with the scream of missiles, the ratatatat of gunfire, and the belching of cannons. Even Rotbart’s roars were hard to hear over that chaotic din. 

On and on they ran until finally they could run no further. They stumbled to a halt, all of them save Poppi breathing hard from the exertion. The sounds from the battlefield had fallen away and they could faintly see the outline of the Titan Battleship hovering in the air, partially lit by the stars. The battleship’s own lights beamed down at the ground. 

After taking a few minutes to rest where Vess healed the various small cuts or bruises their group had suffered they continued toward their ultimate destination, hoping to gain a little distance. Finally they stumbled across a large tree that was partly hollowed out and went inside to sit down, backs against the tree’s innards. Rex looked around at the others, all of whom looked as frazzled as he felt. “We need to sleep and regain our strength. After that mess hopefully those guys will be too busy cleaning up to come searching for us again.”

Vess leaned her back against the tree and closed her eyes. “What attacked us was the bulk of Torigoth’s military forces. We should be thankful Mor Ardain keeps their forces limited as a sign of confidence in the obedience of the Gormotti people.”

Poppi piped up. “Did Rotbart die?”

Mythra hugged her knees up to her chest and let her chin rest on her knees. “Even a Gogol of that size and age wouldn’t be able to withstand an assault of that magnitude. Unless it managed to flee there’s no way it survived.”

Tora rubbed at the top of his head with his wings. “Will bully soldiers attack again?”

Vess shook her head. “After that debacle I doubt the Ardanian troops at Torigoth will come at us again. Not until they receive reinforcements. Preferably members of the Carraig, their military unit composed of their best Drivers and Blades.”

Tora looked downcast. “Tora feel like not contribute very much. Small Driver much stronger than Tora.”

With an encouraging tone Rex said, “Hey now, don’t get down! You just need practice. He’s had tons of training. You’re a brand new Driver.”

“That’s true,” Mythra said. “Honestly, you did pretty good considering it was your first real battle. Better than those new Ardanian Drivers anyway.”

Poppi flexed her non-existent biceps. “That because Poppi have max maidy power! Masterpon design Poppi well!”

“Meh...Poppi…” Tora looked incredibly grateful for their words. 

Rex clapped his hands together. “Alright guys, let’s get some sleep. We still need to make it to Umon’s Shipyard. We might need to make a detour to drop Vess off somewhere though. Where were you meeting Mabon?”

Vess smiled politely. “Oh Rex, Mabon sent me to go with you while he shipped out to Mor Ardain to be with his family. I’ll help you as long as you need me.”

“Huh? But...what about Mabon? Is he going to be okay?” The last few times Rex had seen Mabon the old man had been looking rough. He had developed a nasty cough and his energy was limited. Small amounts of activity left him ragged. 

“I’m afraid Mabon’s condition is worsening. He wanted to see his family before the end. We already said our goodbyes.” There was a deep sadness in Vess’ eyes. Rex felt his chest tighten at the sight.

“The end? But he…”, Rex found he couldn’t think of any reassurances to give. Vess was a healing Blade. She must know. Mabon had to know. 

Vess looked Rex right in the eye as she continued. “It’s okay Rex. You’re a kind young man to be worried, but we’ve been expecting this for a while. Mabon has been my Driver for decades, but we knew it wouldn’t be forever. We had even talked about what would become of me after he was gone.”

Rex could feel everyone watching them, silently, none of them wanting to interfere in such a personal conversation. “It still feels crazy to me, talking about what will happen to you after your Driver...you know. I don’t like the way Blades get passed around…”

“And that’s sweet, but it’s simply the way we Blades are. No matter how many times our Drivers pass on we continue. Better for a Driver and Blade to plan ahead so that the Blade finds a good Driver who will treat them well than to become the Blade of someone cruel or callous.” 

Vess held up one of her hands, her Bitball floating above her palm. “I used this weapon and my skills in and out of battle for myself and for Mabon for so long. I wouldn’t have had that opportunity for this happy life if it hadn’t been for Nia giving my Core Crystal to a young Mabon. She must have seen something in him that made her believe he would be a good Driver.”

The Bitball floated out into the center of the tree, crackling slightly with electricity. “Mabon and I could think of no one better to become my Driver than the man who Nia cares for so deeply. When the time comes, I hope you will be kind to the new me.”

Vess’ Bitball came to a halt just in front of Rex. Rex looked down from the Bitball and to his feet. Then he gathered his determination. “Vess, before I say yes or no, there’s something you need to know.”

He pulled slightly away from the tree and reached behind him, retrieving the Core Crystal from his pouch. He held it out so that Vess could see it. “A lot happened, but this is Nia. She...when she comes back she won’t remember you. Or our time together.”

Vess stood up and walked forward, having to hunch slightly to avoid hitting her head against the top of the hollow. When she reached Rex she crouched down and laid her hands atop Nia’s Core Crystal. Her smile was beautiful and happy, with the faintest tinges of sadness. “Then maybe Nia and I can learn to be like sisters. Blades together with one Driver.”

The electric Blade looked over to Mythra. “And I hope you’ll accept me as well when that time comes.”

Mythra shrugged, trying to look aloof, but there were tinges of an embarrassed red running across her cheeks. “Whatever. Doesn’t bother me. The more the merrier and all that.”

Vess carefully moved Rex’s fingers so they curled up around Nia’s crystal. “Keep her safe until it’s time. So, Rex. Will you accept me as your Blade after Mabon’s time comes?”

Rex reached out with his other hand and placed it atop her hovering Bitball. “I hope that’s a long way off, but when that time does come...I’d be happy to have you as my Blade.”

Rex’s attention was drawn away by the sound of sniffling. When he looked over he saw Poppi and Tora hugging each other, tears in Tora’s eyes and sadness in Poppi’s. “What’s with you guys?”

Together the duo wailed, “Is just so sweet!”

Vess laughed and Rex couldn’t help himself. He joined in, laughing as well. A quick look over at Mythra saw that she was staring up at the roof of the hollow. Carefully he returned Nia’s crystal back to his pouch and then motioned to Mythra. “Come on, you’ve got to be part of this too!”

“Huh? Part of what?” She seemed surprised at being included. 

“Put your hand on the Bitball! We’re doing a thing!”

“Uh, do I have to? It seems kinda...embarrassing.” 

Rex grinned at her. “Come on, just do it! We’re together in this! It’ll be me, you, Nia, and Vess! A team! A...family of sorts.”

Mythra gave him the most blank faced inscrutable look for several seconds before she shuffled forward and put her hand over his atop the Bitball. Vess placed one of her hands over both of theirs. “Yeah…”, Mythra whispered. “A family.”

\--------------------

Niall awakened with a groan. His whole body ached, especially his arms and shoulders. Swinging a sword so much the previous night had drained him. Even worse, every time his attacks had connected with that Nopon’s shield the rebounding force had reverberated through his arms, neck, and shoulders. What a resilient material. 

Physically he felt drained. They had cautiously approached through the night and then all of that terrible chaos and battle had come out of it. With nothing except complete disaster as the result. He and Aegaeon had channeled so much ether during the course of the fight that Niall knew it would take more than a single night’s rest to alleviate his fatigue. Aegaeon was probably right as rain already. The benefits of being a Blade.

Everything that transpired had been a debacle. The Aegis and her companions roamed free, joined by a new ally in the form of the local Blade named Vess. His forces had not been able to locate her Driver as of yet. Niall had seen no signs or reports of Rex’s registered Blade, the water element Nia, so that was yet another enemy to worry about. 

During the battle their forces had been routed. An Ardanian Fighter with heavy damage, the cannons and machine guns of the two Archelons destroyed, their armor damaged. Rotbart and the Gogol attack had caused even heavier damage, killing twenty-two soldiers and destroying a lot of military equipment in the process. The Titan Battleship had been forced to expend an obscene amount of ammunition to put down the horde of rampaging Gogols and Rotbart itself. 

Witnessing the colossal Gogol actually jump up onto the Titan Battleship and start tearing off chunks of the Titan’s armor had been a shock. Niall wasn’t certain if that had been a sign of intelligence, animal instinct, or pure stupidity. If it hadn’t put itself at point blank range of some of the battleship’s cannons it might have actually succeeded in downing the vessel. The slaying of Territorial Rotbart could be seen as the only positive outcome of the previous night. Torigoth had issued a bounty on the creature years ago, but no one had taken up the challenge. 

No matter how Niall tried to justify it, there was no getting around how big a disaster that had been. The three rookie Drivers had only succeeded in putting themselves in danger and the Consul’s own Blade had taken so much damage that he had nearly retreated into his Core Crystal. He was still in the process of regenerating. 

Once again he found himself considering the behavior of the Aegis. The moment she spotted them she could have destroyed their entire attacking force without using her full power. Yet while there were injuries from the battle, not a single fatality had been the result of the Aegis or her allies. 

Aegaeon was right in his declaration that the will of the Empress, the will of his cousin Morag, had to be followed. Even so, it felt terribly wrong. Her declaration to the Aegis the other day hadn’t sounded like her at all. While Morag was usually all business she was by no means rash or cruel. There had to be something at work that Niall was unaware of. Had she been hinting that her actions were the desire of the Senate when she mentioned them? Or was Niall simply reaching desperately for some sort of answer?

From the Aegis’ words he knew that the missing equipment from the armory had been taken by the six dead soldiers whose lives had been laid at her feet. Yet there remained so much about the situation that didn’t add up. Were there two conspiracies at work here or just one? Were the deaths of those six men part of whatever had led to Morag’s decision?

Niall took a shower to wash away some of the stress. He still had some bruises from his fights with Rex and Mythra. He didn’t have the luxury of regeneration that Blades did. 

When he was clean he dressed in a simpler spare uniform while his official Special Inquisitor uniform was being cleaned and pressed. He strapped his combat knife to its sheath on his wrist and tugged his coat over it, then buttoned it up to appear presentable. Finally he made his way to the mess hall to eat with the soldiers. Nobody was talking. There was a heavy sensation that hung in the air.

When he was finished he marched back out through the base, speaking quietly to the mourning men and women who had come to identify the bodies of the twenty-two deceased. Later today they would be put to rest with full military honors. The battleship was no longer connected to the base, having landed out on Garanti Plain so that clean up could take place. 

He returned to the office he had commandeered from Consul Dughall and set up Dughall’s video communicator for transmission. It took several minutes before the connection was made and the Empress’ face appeared on the screen. This method was more accurate than the more portable version, so he could see the depths of her disappointment far clearer.

“Special Inquisitor Niall,” she declared. “I have read the official reports you submitted last night. To think that the combined might of Torigoth’s military force was incapable of capturing five opponents.”

Niall kept his face neutral. “You are, of course, correct Your Majesty. While Territorial Rotbart’s sudden appearance was devastating, the battle had not been proceeding in our favor even prior to that. I am not certain we would have succeeded even if the beast had not arrived.”

“Because of this complete debacle I am sending further reinforcements to Torigoth to recoup the losses of the Relay Base. Should the Aegis and her allies reappear Consul Dughall will have access to a greater extent of military power.” Niall held back a wince. No matter how they played their political message the people of Gormott would be furious at the increased troops presence. Especially if the Empress sent more Archelons or Ardanian Fighters. Those were seen only as tools of war, not ignored as peacekeepers like normal soldiers were.

“As you wish Your Majesty. It is my opinion that in order to capture the Aegis I will require a small elite team of Drivers. I’ve prepared a list of my suggested Drivers if it pleases Her Majesty.” The Aegis’ group currently consisted of two Drivers and at least four Blades. By his estimation he would need four to six Drivers and their respective Blades to subdue the Aegis and her band of allies. That would be the safest number that could still operate quickly and with great stealth. 

Empress Morag leaned forward from her seat upon the throne and looked Niall directly in the eye. “I will take your request into consideration. However, I have a different mission for you to pursue until our scouts and spies are able to glean further information on the Aegis’ location.”

“I will undertake any mission Your Majesty requests. I would like to return briefly to Hardhaigh Palace to gather certain supplies and reports.” Hopefully by doing so he could also gauge the situation back home and determine what had led to his cousin’s decision. 

“No, Special Inquisitor, I require that you act upon your next mission immediately. If you have need of any information or supplies from the homeland submit a formal request. For now, I will be sending you details for your next mission. You are to pursue certain reports regarding the activities of Torna. Especially given the Aegis’ declaration that Malos still lives.” She leaned back into the throne again, appearing relaxed. Yet Niall knew Morag well enough to tell that she was anything but at ease.

“And what am I to do regarding Torna and Malos?” Was Morag trying to keep him away from home? Even worse, he suspected he already knew what she would be requesting.

“You are to gather information on the activities of Torna and you are to deliver Malos the same offer I gave to the Aegis. Become the personal Blade of the Empress and have all past and present crimes forgiven or be declared an Enemy of the State and face the full wrath of Mor Ardain.” 

Niall nodded slowly. It had been exactly what he had feared. “As you command Your Majesty.”

“Go forth and do your duty Special Inquisitor Niall. I expect much from you. Until we speak again.” She pressed a button hidden on the side of her throne and her image disappeared from the video communicator Niall had been using. 

Niall sat back forcefully in Consul Dughall’s chair, his hands shaking as they gripped the arm rests. “If not Mythra then Malos. What are you doing Morag? What is happening at home?”

There had been something else bothering him. A presence that was always at the Empress’ side who had been noticeably missing from her usual position next to the throne. Always with the Empress during official communication or meetings. 

Where on Alrest was Brighid?

\----------------------

Consul Dughall raged in his temporary office, throwing pillows and lamps and whatever else he could get his hands on. “First those dunderheads fail to capture the Aegis, but then they go and get themselves killed! And now my forces have been dealt a shameful defeat and come away with nothing but the carcasses of a bunch of worthless apes!”

He stomped his feet, his fury growing. “I will not be laid to rest here in this miserable backwater nothing of a position! There has to be some way I can get a win to prove myself to the Senate and the Empress!”

Finally his rage subsided as he wore himself out. He hadn’t been able to think of anything. Defeats like these didn’t bode well. His mistakes back home had led to him being forced to relinquish his status among the nobility and the opportunity to become a member of the Senate. Only his skill at city management had allowed him to retain any face, getting him assigned as the Consul of Gormott Province. 

Now even his position as Consul was in danger. If it was discovered that the Aegis now stood against the Empire because of his failed attempt to capture her...well there was no telling how low he would fall. His only ally was now that idiot Blade of his, Dolmes. Strong, but worthless in anything other than a fight. No one back in Alba Cavanich could be considered a true friend, the Gormotti resented him, and even his occasional business partner Bana was more of a liability. The man lacked loyalty to anything other than money.

There was a knock at the door. “What is it?”

A foot soldier entered, an envelope held in his hand. “Sir, a messenger delivered this for you.”

Dughall stalked forward and snatched it out of the man’s hand. “You’ve delivered it, now scram! Can’t you see you’re bothering me?”

The soldier saluted. “Yes sir!” 

When the other man had left Dughall slammed the door behind him and tore the envelope open. Inside was a tiny slip of paper with a string of numbers on it. Dughall recognized numbers of that type. It was a distinct frequency used for video communications.

Hastily he tuned the communicator in the room to the listed frequency. Moments later a figure appeared, their face disguised by a hood that let shadow fall over their face. Dughall gulped. “And who are you to send me a secret communique?” 

Even the other person’s voice was distorted. Dughall couldn’t even tell what gender or accent the other person might have. However, the fact that their face and voice were disguised meant they were someone who was worried that those things might be recognizable. Someone important? Someone he already knew? “Oh Consul Dughall, you’re such an adorably awkward man. Think of me as a friend.”

“A friend you say?” This seemed a little too good to be true, but he had nothing else to fall back on.

“That’s right. I’ll prove it to you. If you promise to keep it a secret from your government I’ll keep you informed of the whereabouts of the Aegis.”

“Oh-ho! That’s quite the juicy piece of information! And I assume you want something in exchange?” If this person could help him capture the Aegis and restore his position within the Empire he would just about agree to anything.

“There are a few things. Starting with…”

\---------------------

Lord Caldridge had no idea what to make of the current political climate in Gormott. Everything had been moving with frightening speed. The arrival of the Maelstrom after an attack by Torna, the apparent return of the Aegis, the arrival of the Special Inquisitor, fighting breaking out on the streets, soldiers dead, and now rumors had filtered out of the base, despite the army’s best efforts, that a devastating loss had been suffered out on Garanti Plain.

The colossal Titan Battleship now rested out on that plain as soldiers and laborers cleaned up after some dangerous battle the previous night. Details were scarce, but it seemed like the Aegis and her friends had been declared Enemies of the State and, upon attempting to capture them, the Ardanian forces were soundly beaten. Apparently even Territorial Rotbart had gotten involved and had been finally slain thanks to the timely arrival of the battleship. 

Everything was a mess. So far there had been no indications of anyone connecting him to the Torna terrorists or signs of the Special Inquisitor beginning an inquest against him. He still felt the need to be wary, but it wasn’t looking that bad. 

The strangest part of the whole mess were the bounty posters that were being put up for the Aegis and her allies. Lord Caldridge knew three of those faces. The boy salvager whose name escaped him, the one he had hired for the Echell job months ago. The Blade whose Core Crystal Caldridge had attempted to purchase, formerly the Blade of Lord Echell. Nia. And a local Blade, called Vess, another Blade who in a previous lifetime had served admirably in the war fifty years ago. 

Lord Caldridge found himself at a complete loss as to what, if any, move he should make at the moment. Caution was still a good idea, but if he was able to leverage this situation to his benefit it would be even better. Far better than reaching out to a foreign government. Perhaps he could hire some mercenaries to capture the Aegis?

No, that was foolish. If the Ardanian forces in Torigoth had been unable to capture the Aegis what hope did a bunch of mercenaries have? It would take multiple exceptional Drivers to capture such an enemy.

A thought struck him. Didn’t he happen to know of a band of mercenaries packed to the brim with first rate Drivers? He had hired a pair of Drivers from that group as bodyguards just a few months prior. They came highly recommended. 

So Lord Caldridge set to work drafting a message. Perhaps if he made the reward substantial enough they would agree. He wasn’t concerned with the money from the bounties, the mercenary troop could have that as well as his reward. All he wanted was to be able to take credit for the capture of the Aegis and her allies. 

He called in his secretary once the message was completed. It was frustrating to consider that there wasn’t a faster way to reach the mercenaries with the job. He passed his letter off to his secretary. “Send this via my best courier. I want this delivered to Garfont in Uraya as soon as possible.”

Maybe this could still all work out in his favor.

\-------------------

_“No no, the Bitball isn’t an extension of your body like a sword. It’s like a part of your body that is detached. You have to rely on proprioception to keep track of it. It’s easier with affinity, but it can be done even without that.” Mabon sat on his porch, idly juggling a handful of rocks as he corrected Rex’s form._

_Rex grimaced as the Bitball he had been keeping in the air, bouncing it on his knee, and then his head, and then his feet, tumbled to the ground. He reached down to pick it up, and got pegged in the shoulder by one of Mabon’s rocks. “Ouch! What the hell old man?”_

_Mabon looked as innocent as could be. Despite the fact that there was one fewer rocks among those he was juggling. “Be aware of your surroundings. That’s useful advice for anyone in a fight whether you use a sword or a Bitball.”_

_Rex picked the Bitball up and tossed it from hand to hand. “Yeah, but I don’t fight with a Bitball. I just wanted to see what it was like.”_

_The old man shrugged and kept up his juggling. “This is what it’s like. It’s a common weapon type amongst Blades, but it’s probably the hardest to learn. Besides, if I’m teaching someone I’m gonna do it my way. I’m old. Stubborn. You understand, right?”_

_Grumbling Rex began the exercise of bouncing the ball from limb to limb as he had been instructed. Despite the Bitball’s weight it wasn’t that different from playing with a ball as a child. Gramps had encouraged the children to play with a ball that he had picked out and made sure to give Rex advice as to how to play with it._

_Rex paused, bouncing the ball on his head. “That old so-and-so...cheeky and stealthy.”_

_“Huh? Me?” Mabon had the gall to look offended. As if he hadn’t just admitted to being a stubborn old man._

_“No, Gramps. I think he might have already taught me the basics of using a Bitball without me knowing it.” Rex shifted the ball from his head to bounce it between his elbows._

_“Then how come you’re so bad at it?” The old man tossed a rock at Rex, but this time he dodged out of the way. However, when he did so the ball hit the ground._

_Rex grimaced and kicked the ball up into the air, catching it between his hands. “I’m not bad at it, you’re just expecting perfection. Plus you keep throwing rocks at me.”_

_“And enemies will just sit back and let you play bouncy ball without attacking? That’s so nice of them.” Mabon switched to juggling one handed and reached into a bucket next to him to pull out another handful of rocks, which he joined with the others in a complicated double figure eight loop._

_“Psh. Enemies. What enemies? You just like throwing rocks at me.”_

_“In his defense, it is pretty funny to watch.” Rex looked up at Nia where she was sitting on Mabon’s roof. She always gravitated towards high places. She seemed especially amused right now._

_“Why don’t you give it a try? Come on down you smug little so-and-so and we’ll see how you do.” Rex popped the ball up onto the pointer finger of one hand and set it into a spin._

_“Nah, if I wanted to learn how to use a Bitball I’d have Vess teach me. Not the crotchety old codger.” Mabon casually chucked a rock at her legs that dangled over the edge of the roof, pegging her in the heel. She yelped and pulled her feet up. “See, this is why.”_

_A serene voice called out from the other side of the house. “Dinner is ready!”_

_With a big smile Rex tossed the Bitball underhanded to Mabon. The old man expertly shifted his numerous juggled rocks to one hand and caught the Bitball with the other. Darn, Rex had been hoping he’d drop them. “You know Mabon, once in a while you’re actually kinda cool.”_

_“Once in a while? Cheeky kid…” Still, Mabon was smiling as they all made their way inside to have dinner._

Rex hadn’t thought anything of it that day. Yet now, a month and a half later, as he sat there awake waiting on everyone else to wake up, he couldn’t stop thinking about it. Had they decided then what they were planning? Had that been the start? Mabon and Vess slyly preparing him to become Vess’ Driver?

Gramps had given him basic instruction with a variety of weapons, although the old Titan had focused on a broadsword style, claiming it was what he knew best. The Bitball had been the only one Gramps had been subtle about. Probably didn’t think Rex would consider a ball a real weapon. To be fair, a normal ball wouldn’t have been. Bitballs were dangerous though. They could hit with bone shattering force, attacked from strange angles, and could be guided by a practiced Driver and Blade. Not to mention ether infused attacks.

He had never actually asked the Titan about it, but he was pretty certain Gramps had been training him in case he ever became a Driver. Or reliving the glory days. Gramps had once admitted to having spent a fair amount of time amongst Drivers and Blades, but only said that it was a very long time ago. At thirteen hundred years old that could mean about anything.

Rex looked over at his sleeping companions. New and old friends. A lot had happened in a short time. It had been chaotic. Every time he thought things were settling down something new happened. There was no telling where life would lead him from now on. Eventually though...it would bring him to Elysium. The real one. 

Would the Architect be waiting up there? Mythra had implied that the Architect was real. Rex had always believed the stories Gramps would tell, but hearing it from someone like Mythra made it all the more believable. 

There were so many people he wanted to show the open beauty of Elysium to. No, he would show it to them. To everyone. 

When he turned his head he almost fell over in shock, seeing Poppi sitting there staring right at him. “Uh, g’morning Poppi.”

“Good morning. Is Rex early riser?”

“Usually. Are you...or I guess does your rest mode not take too long? Is that...right? I’m not really sure I get it.” He rubbed the back of his head, feeling embarrassed. Poppi didn’t look bothered though.

“Poppi use rest mode to decompile and process data acquired over course of past twenty-four hours. Not take as long as Humans or Nopon, but Popon can remain in rest mode for long time if needed.” Rex wasn’t sure what to make of that.

“I guess even an Artificial Blade needs a little time to decompress eh? Say Poppi, you’ve had a pretty jam packed first couple weeks of your life. Is it too much?” Poppi scuttled over and sat down right to him, still staring directly at him. It was a little disconcerting. 

“Poppi okay with it. Just means Poppi living enough for two or three people. Poppi meeting new friends and having many exciting experiences.” She blinked and then leaned in a little closer. “Poppi want to thank Rex. Meeting Rex make Masterpon very happy. Poppi think Masterpon want adventure as new goal. Not have goal after finish Poppi.”

“Oh, uh, no problem I guess. Seems like a reliable enough guy to have around. And you’ve been great help as well.” She kept staring. “Honestly I’m kinda glad you’re here, not just for the help in a fight. I think Mythra has liked talking to you and playing games with you. I appreciate it.”

“Mythra is cool. Poppi likes Mythra too. Although Mythra still lacking in key traits of maidiness. Rex not worry, Poppi will teach Mythra for him.” She smiled brightly up at him and he awkwardly returned the smile.

“Uh, thanks. I think. Although I dunno if Mythra would be into that kinda thing.” How had this conversation started? Better question. How did he change the topic?

“Rex thought Mythra look cute in maidy mode, yes? Poppi agree so Poppi will teach Mythra.” Rex didn’t like how excited about the prospect Poppi seemed.

“Did I? Uh, that’s...no wait, this isn’t really something we should be talking about. Say, uh…”, he searched desperately for another topic and hit upon a question he had asked Nia and Mythra each at one point or another. “What’s your favorite color Poppi?”

“Blushy-crushy.”

“Blushy...what? I’m sorry, what color is that exactly?”

Poppi clapped her metal hands together and leaned her cheek against the back of her left hand. “Color of love.”

“R-right. Of course.” 

Just across from them Vess yawned as she sat up, stretching her arms above her head. “My, it’s been so long since I slept out in the wild. I’m not accustomed to it anymore.”

“Vess! Good morning!” Rex silently thanked Vess for her timely, if incidental, intervention. He wasn’t sure he knew how to continue that conversation with Poppi. Or divert it. What exactly had Tora programmed into her?

Vess peered around at their group. “It looks like Tora and Mythra are the last ones still sleeping. Did we want to let them keep sleeping or should we wake them up?

Rex considered the options for a moment before making a decision. “It’s probably for the best that we get moving. The sooner we’re up and out of here the sooner we can make it to Tora’s Uncle Umon. Do you mind waking Mythra? And Poppi, could you wake up Tora? I’ll scout the surrounding area and make sure there are no soldiers out there.”

Once they agreed he set to work. They would still need to have breakfast and then travel cautiously, but he was feeling optimistic again. 

And Rex was right. Their journey to Umon’s Shipyard went smoothly and the Nopon himself was willing to let them borrow one of his Titan ships. However, when Rex inquired about a larger vessel that was moored at the shipyard they negotiated. To Rex’s surprise the Nopon was willing, seeing as they were Tora’s friends, to take merely a downpayment with guarantee of the rest to be supplied later. 

So it was that Rex and company set out onto the Cloud Sea in a used, but fully functional, stocked and equipped Titan vessel. It was twice as long as Gramps with a sectioned off living quarters with enough space for three or four people to have their own small rooms. There was even a tiny little kitchen and some extra storage space. It lacked some of the salvaging equipment he would need, but all of that was with Gramps. He should even, with a little help, be able to rig up the crane from Gramps onto the back of the Titan vessel. 

The plan he and Nia had created together had come to fruition. And she wasn’t there to see it. And wouldn’t remember it to begin with. 

As he steered the ship away from Gormott Mythra came up to lean against the railing next to him. “So,” she said. “What are you going to name it?”

A name. After all this time and planning he still hadn’t come up with a name. A Titan of this type had only rudimentary intelligence, but it still deserved a name. “I guess I never picked one. I’m not sure. What do you think?”

She shrugged. “It’s not my boat.”

“It’ll be ours though. To live here and travel. If you’re willing anyway. Like I was saying to Vess.” 

“Ours huh? Then we should wait to name it. Until it’s all four of us.”

Rex nodded. That sounded right to him. “Yeah. I like it. We can wait.”

There was no rush. They could sail onwards with Elysium ahead and their troubles left behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I wish I had thought about it before, but the Xenoblade games break things up by "chapter" with XBC2 and XBCX giving each of those chapters names. So if I were to do that I'd call the first section, from chapter one through chapter 7 as "Chapter One: Awakenings" and chapters 8 through 14 being "Chapter Two: Onward". Next chapter would be the start of "Chapter Three". 
> 
> As it were. Not like there's a way to format stuff in that way on Archive.


	15. War Is... [Chapter Three: Kindness and Malice]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter marks the beginning of what I'm dubbing "Chapter Three: Kindness and Malice".

4006

Nia was Awakened into a Gormott at war. She learned quickly that she had been passed down for generations across different noble families of Gormott, changing hands to fulfill treaties or through marriage or the collapse of a noble house. Her new Driver’s house had offered to provide her a full list, but she hadn’t been interested. Why would she be interested in the lives of some long forgotten stranger?

Her current Driver was a young soldier named Garrett, a man in the employ of a Gormotti noble house. He had been permitted to Awaken her because no current member of the house had proved to have the aptitude of a Driver. Normally they would have bargained her Core Crystal off to another house or kept it for future generations, but the war made times desperate.

Gormott was engaged in a life or death struggle against the Empire of Mor Ardain. A powerful militarized nation that wanted to annex Gormott to make use of its resources. Attempts at establishing a truce or a treaty had failed. Nia hadn’t been especially interested in geopolitics. What mattered was that Gormott was struggling to stay afloat against Mor Ardain’s repeated attacks so the government of Gormott was desperately Awakening every last Core Crystal they possessed and throwing their Blades into battle.

Nia and Garrett had just a few weeks worth of training together and with other soldiers before they were thrust into their first battle. Garrett had been terrified. Nia had been disgusted. The Ardanian military would barrage the Gormotti troops with a hail of bullets and then charge into close quarters with bayonets, swords, and spears. The Gormotti, lacking a formal military, relied on coordinated maneuvers between the private guard forces of the various noble houses.

Their first battle together was a bloodbath. The Ardanian troops lacked individual skill, but had superior firepower. The Gormotti seized the day because they committed as many Blades to the field as they could muster. Nia had demanded to remain behind and act in her primary role as a healing Blade. Their commander had refused and thus she and Garrett had been thrust onto the frontlines with more than a hundred other Blades. 

Garrett lacked the precision and guts to properly wield her powers, so Nia had been forced to act. Before she knew what was happening she had entered the fray with her sword in hand, slashing and stabbing, cutting enemies with razor sharp flows of water ether. There had been so much blood and death. At the end of it the Ardanians retreated and the Gormotti cheered. They wouldn’t cheer for long.

By the fifth battle the Gormotti had organized their Drivers and Blades into tactical squads with supporting capabilities. Depending on the nature of the group there were between four to eight members of each squad. Nia’s own squad consisted of two healing type Blades, two defensive types with support skills, and a commander who would lead the attack. The healers were herself and a Bitball user named Vess, a stuffy electric Blade who was too nice for her own good. The defensive core of their squad were Theory, a Blade whose demeanor was as icy as her element, and Akatsuki, a beast-form fire Blade. He was stolid in his support of all decisions by the Gormotti nobles.

Nia was convinced that their group would fall apart without their leader. Fierce in battle and devoted to her squad, Patroka was an excellent commanding officer. In each battle she gave clear concise directions, stifled disputes, and led the charge. Patroka wasn’t an especially powerful Blade, none of them were, but where they lacked in raw power each of them was precise in their attacks and were fast. They performed quick surgical strikes against opposing forces to open up critical vulnerabilities for other teams to take advantage of.

That fateful night they all sat around a campfire, eating stew that Patroka and Vess had made for them. Typically the five Blades and five Drivers ate separately. Nia sat with her back up against a log and her legs crossed as she slowly sipped on the stew in her wooden bowl. As usual it was tasty. 

Akatsuki had lapped up his stew in quick order and returned his bowl for cleaning. He was always a quick eater. Now he was laying down with his head resting on his paws as he watched the rest of them. “Patroka, surely you’ve heard what some of the other squads are saying about the war effort.”

Patroka downed a spoonful of the stew before responding. “I hear a lot of things from the other squads. That doesn’t mean it’s all of good value. If they said anything important I’d report it to you guys.”

Akatsuki rolled his eyes at her. “Only if you know what they’re saying is true. You ignore rumors and chatter even though what the other soldiers are saying can be just as important. Especially when it impacts morale.”

Nia sighed and set her bowl down between her legs. “We’re not soldiers. Does this really look like an army to you?”

The beast-form Blade turned his hazel eyes toward her. “And what would you call us Nia? We fight constant battles against an invading enemy on behalf of the local government and we’re organized in a military fashion.”

She shrugged. “We’re just Blades. This is the sort of thing that Blades do. We fight for our Drivers. Maybe our Drivers die. Then we get Awakened again and start it over.”

Vess reached out and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Dear, I know things seem rough, but there’s more to life than fighting for us Blades. When all of this is over we can go on with our lives.”

Nia didn’t bother to correct the other Blade. None of them had been active Blades for very long, Vess for the longest by a matter of months, but she still acted like the mother. “If you say so.”

Patroka cleared her throat. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We can hear Akatsuki out and save the philosophy for when it’s not nearly time for bed.”

Theory, who was sitting off to one side and unnecessarily sharpening her Chroma Katana, glanced up at the rest of them. “I believe I know what Akatsuki is referring to. I’ve heard the same rumors.”

Akatsuki pulled his head off of his paws and looked them all in the eyes one by one. “The other squads all reference the same thing. Someone overheard Humans from the command tent discussing the status of the invasion. They say the Ardanians have Blades of their own and terrible weapons that they haven’t brought against us yet. Flying ships, Titan weapons, devastating cannons, missiles, and more.”

Nia scoffed. “If they had that kind of thing they’d have used it. Why keep throwing regular soldiers at a bunch of Blades and Drivers if you can do that?”

“Because they want our land and our resources! These Imperials consider it worth more lives to avoid destroying the landscape than what their current attacks cost. If they wanted to they could overrun Gormott in a manner of months. Or weeks. Or maybe days. Nobody is sure.” 

Vess looked over to Patroka, worry clear in her eyes. “Is that true? Surely that can’t be the case?”

“Like Akatsuki said, it’s just a rumor. Even if it were true it doesn’t matter. Especially if it’s true. It means that they won’t commit those types of weapons to the conflict. Which means we don’t have to be concerned.” Patroka downed the last of her stew and stood up to go clean her bowl. 

Theory slid her katana into its sheath forcefully. “Unless we start actually winning. Eventually they’ll risk a massive attack to overwhelm us. Or they’ll send a much larger force to destroy us with pure numbers. The fact that they’re willing to constantly send so many troops into battle should tell us how many more soldiers they have than we do.”

Akatsuki opened his mouth to say something, but was drowned out as a siren wailed. Everyone looked up in surprise. It was the dead of night, but that siren meant one thing for certain. The enemy had been spotted. 

Patroka dashed back into the light of the campfire and clapped her hands together. “Up and in formation people! Prepare to receive orders and engage the enemy!”

Floodlights bathed the various campfires in stronger light, momentarily blinding them. Floodlights from out on the plains. Screams and shouts filled the air as guns began firing in rapid succession. The five of them raised ether barriers to protect themselves from incoming fire. 

Patroka made a quick series of gestures with two fingers and Theory responded by darting out of the barrier with her superior speed and making for the tent where their Drivers were. She would retrieve them and they would all form up. 

Nia called her sword into her hand and saw the other Blades save Patroka do the same. She was likely leaving her weapon in her Driver’s possession. Nia swept her gaze across the battlefield now that her eyes were adjusting and she noticed some was wrong. 

“Akatsuki!” Where there had once been a beast-form Blade there was now a silent dim Core Crystal sitting in the dirt. 

Theory came running toward them, her ether barrier up to protect the Drivers. The four Drivers. Patroka briefly spoke to Theory before turning to the rest of them. “Dennen didn’t make it. The first volley caught him.”

Patroka’s Driver spoke into a radio com that was hooked to a large pack on his back and then relayed his instructions to them. “The enemy assassinated our sentries. This assault is several hundred strong. And there’s something else. They brought Blades this time. A few dozen, but they’re being kept towards the middle lines. Our job is to slip in from the sides and draw those Blades out into combat.”

Akatsuki had been right. The Ardanians had been holding back. All of the blood and violence so far and the Ardanians weren’t even committing themselves fully to it. Sacrificing the lives of the Gormotti, the Blades, and even their own people for what? Land? Resources? A seething hatred started to bubble up inside of Nia. 

Patroka must have seen the look on Nia’s face, because she stepped in front of the shorter woman and looked her dead in the eye. “It’s okay to be mad. It’s okay to be furious. But don’t let hate overtake you. The Humans hate each other and kill each other for little to no reason, but we can be better than them. We have to be. Fight to defend our homes and our lives, but don’t hate them.”

“Why not? They just keep coming and killing us and sending their own people into battle like it’s a bloody meat grinder. Because the Humans are greedy? Because they’re vain? Stupid? And we have to fight for them why? Because this is our home?” Nia’s hand shook as she squeezed the hilt of her sword until her knuckles went pale.

“Our home? All any of us has ever known is war! Is our home Gormott because we were Awakened here? Why should that have our loyalty? We fight because we have no choice. Because we’re their slaves!” Patroka drew Nia slightly away from the others. It was unlikely the rest could hear them over the gunfire. So far few of the stray bullets had impacted the ether barrier, making it a fairly secure position. For now.

Patroka leaned in until her face was inches from Nia’s. “Don’t hate them because you’re better than them. We all are. They say Blades need Drivers to survive, but the door swings both ways. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I won’t force you into any further battle. Let’s finish this fight and then when the chaos is settled down I’ll see what I can do to get you stationed strictly in the med tents. Okay?”

Nia took a shaky breath and slowly nodded. “Alright. I can’t promise I won’t hate them, but I’ll try.”

Patroka’s smile was so genuine and filled with warmth that it made the rest of the battlefield seem far away. Nia felt some of her unease and fury melt away. It wasn’t gone. It had just been pushed back. “Thank you. Now let’s make our plan of attack.”

Less than an hour later they were in the thick of battle. They had snuck in from the side as planned and cut down multiple soldiers to open up a hole to the Blades. But it had been a trap. The Ardanian soldiers fell back and then closed in around them, trapping them within the army. 

They fought with all of their power and skill. Theory’s katana sent limbs spinning into the air with her precise strikes and Patroka carved open holes in the enemy lines with wide sweeping attacks from her bardiche. Vess’ Bitball flashed out and struck enemies from a distance while Nia provided healing support and leapt in and out for quick stabs with her sword that came away bloody. 

Their weapons constantly exchanged hands between Drivers and Blades as they all worked together as a unit. But there were eight of them and so many enemies. Nia felt her ether reserves beginning to bleed dry as they struggled to stave off attacks from all sides and it was clear her allies were faltering as well. 

Just as it began to look like they would be able to break their way out of the enemy lines and retreat, three Drivers with Common Blades in tow joined the fray. On the Ardanian side. Each of them fought back with all of the strength they could muster, but it seemed hopeless. 

But it wasn’t. Patroka’s Driver screamed with a wild fury, his body covered in a powerful haze of ether that seemed to steam off of him. Patroka was nearby, her hands held up toward him supplying all the power she had and more. One of her knees buckled to the ground. With all of that extra power Patroka’s Driver broke past the guard of one of the enemy Drivers and struck him down in a single mighty blow. 

He spun the bardiche in the air, hurling rocks constructed from ether at the enemies on all sides. Their foes were forced to step back, allowing Nia, Vess, Theory, and their respective Drivers to form up. 

Patroka’s Driver bellowed at the top of his lungs as he clashed the bladed end of his bardiche against the Megalance of one of the other enemy Drivers. The Ardanian Driver faltered, pushed back by superior strength. Nia felt a surge of something in the ether and then a sudden dearth. 

The glow around Patroka’s Driver winked out as Patroka collapsed face first onto the ground, completely drained of ether. She had given everything to protect them. Without the support of ether Patroka’s Driver was now overwhelmed by the enemy Driver’s strength and shoved backwards. Without hesitation the other soldiers rushed in and pierced him from all sides with their bayonets. 

Patroka’s body vanished into the ether, retreating into its Core Crystal. And one of the soldiers raced forward and plucked it off the ground. 

Nia was vaguely aware of Garrett shouting something to her, of Vess and Theory trying to get her to retreat with them. It all seemed so far away. Patroka was her friend. Patroka was dead. Those bastards were taking her. Taking her away like she was the spoils of war.

Something broke inside of her. With a crazed scream she leapt at the soldiers, slashing about her with her sword in one hand and lashes of water ether from the other, scything into armored flesh as easily with one as the other. Where was the soldier? Where was the one who had taken Patroka?

All of the soldiers looked the damned same! It was a thick melee and that black armored form had retreated into the crowd. Unable to hold herself back she drew on more and more ambient ether. Compounded it through her affinity with her Driver and back into herself until her entire body was alight with pain.

The Driver with the Megalance came at her, his Blade supporting him from the rear. The long reach of the Megalance pushed her back. Another Driver and Blade appeared to confront her, this one with a Shieldhammer. Nia screamed as a blow from the hammer shattered her left elbow. Bullets pierced one of her shoulders and her right thigh. Blood misted out into the night.

She needed more ether. More. More water.

Wasn’t there water in blood? What was her blood if not ether? She reached out mentally and latched onto the blood as if it were her own conjured ether. And she drew more from within her, blood seeping out into the air until she was certain she was near to collapse.

The enemies stepped back, horror in their eyes as swirling blades of blood swept around her. And she attacked them with it. A storm of ether blades, crimson with her own blood. She spun them until they were a vortex around her, slicing anything they came into contact with. She was vaguely aware of Ardanian soldiers in their black armor falling in the face of her attack and then turning to run.

The Driver with the Shieldhammer tried to guard with his weapon, so she pierced him from all sides with the bloody ether. Skewered him like they had skewered Patroka’s Driver. The soldier’s Blade disappeared. 

The Megalance user retreated and passed the weapon off to his Blade. Of course. Blades could regenerate. Drivers couldn’t. What a coward. Despite her flagging strength Nia threw herself at the other Blade, her sword striking with all the power she could muster, her storm of ether blades pelting the Blade.

The Blade’s Megalance took a gouge out of her cheek, centimeters away from decapitating her. She roared and tackled him, knocking him to the ground. Her blood ether, now mostly gone, rained down on him like needles, creating hundreds of tiny cuts in his body. She raised her sword overhead in two hands and rammed it down into his torso. Then again. And again. And again. 

Nia realized she had been saying something. What had she been shouting this whole time? Give it back? Give her back? Nia wasn’t sure it mattered. Her own voice and thoughts seemed far away.

She raised her arms one more time and drove them down, the point of her sword aimed right at the other Blade’s Core Crystal. A Core Crystal that looked so much like Patroka’s, but now splattered with the red of Nia’s and his blood. At the last second she stopped her sword before it penetrated that core.

“You’re not the enemy.” She muttered. “Not you.” 

The Blade nodded slowly despite the terror in his eyes. “It’s them. The Humans. But what choice do I have?”

“Dunno.” Barely looking, she threw her sword with all of her strength to the side where it flew straight and true, piercing into the neck of the enemy Driver. The man gurgled and fell to the ground. The Blade disappeared from beneath her, leaving only the Core Crystal and a bag that had been hooked to his waist. It must have been something he had brought with him. 

Nia staggered to her feet, bag in hand, and realized that her skin was painfully pale. It was almost possible to see through her. She had been consuming her body’s own ether mass to keep fighting. If she had continued she might have destroyed her own Core Crystal in the process. 

No enemies attacked her. They had all retreated, though she still heard fighting in the distance. Vess, Theory, and the other Drivers were nearby. Helping Garrett, who was barely conscious. She had funnelled so much ether through him that he might have died before she got herself killed. 

Vess rushed over to give her a shoulder for support. And so their squad, now four members fewer, retreated to their base camp outside of Torigoth. Most of the fighting took place on the Garanti Plains. The enemy hadn’t managed to make it up the Gormotti Titan’s neck plates where the capital of White Chair rested. Torigoth had become the forward command base as a result. 

When they arrived in Torigoth there were whispers of awe and horror. Nia barely understood any of it, such was her exhaustion. She hadn’t realized at the time what she looked like. Her body nearly translucent, her clothes and skin dyed red with blood, dripping from her billowing sleeves to the ground. They said it made her look like a bloody flower.

Both sides began to call her the Crimson Bellflower. She threw herself into each battle with renewed vigor, determined to cut down as many of them as possible. The enemy. The Humans. She would make sure she killed as many of their Drivers as possible. To liberate the Blades. 

Over the next year their squad changed members multiple times. Theory’s Driver was slain and her Core Crystal captured by the enemy. Soon only Vess and Nia remained of the original squad. Blades changed and were transferred or killed or captured. Just like several of the other squads they also briefly got saddled with the Walking Target. The Blade Nim’s Drivers kept getting killed by the Ardanians, but somehow they never managed to take her core. In the last year and half she had been Awakened nine times. 

Most of the others weren’t worth mentioning. Gormott had fewer and fewer unique Blades and the Common Blades weren’t assigned to elite squads like hers. Some of the Blades listened to her when she told them about the book she had found that fateful day, the book in that bag. Others nodded to pretend or ignored her. Those who looked at her with fear were the ones who requested to transfer out. 

When the Humans wanted to see the book that other Blades said she talked about, all they found was a stupid book of poetry. A Moment of Eternity by Nonpareil. But there was a trick to it. If you filtered just the right amount of ether into the pages the title and the words rearranged. It was a book of philosophy and rhetoric. A treatise on the state of humanity. Filled with stories and examples. This version of the book provided no name for the author, but the title worried the Humans who had heard their Blades whisper it. “Masters and Slaves”. 

Nia was convinced. Her experiences in the war had only been solidified by what she had read in the book. The Humans who perverted her healing powers for death and their own greed were cruel monsters. Unworthy of the flame of life. They didn’t deserve the gifts of this world that the Architect had bestowed on them. Didn’t deserve Blades. 

Even her own Driver, not aware of how keen her hearing was, had whispered to other Humans that she no longer seemed completely sane. That was wrong. She had simply become more aware of what the state of the world truly was.

One day the sirens wailed louder than ever before and panicked filled the streets. Everyone knew Gormott had been struggling to hold on. They had been losing Blades and Mor Ardain hadn’t seemed to slow down. Attempts at brokering a treaty or gaining aid from Uraya had failed. The senior command expected this battle to make or break the war. 

When Nia and her squad headed out onto the battlefield she could see why. Mor Ardain had come with more soldiers than ever before as well as numerous Drivers and Blades, many of those Blades had even formerly been from Gormott. Lingering in the back were the vaunted Titan weapons that people had spoken of. Hovering overhead were Ardanian Fighters, granting them air supremacy. The Ardanians had set up missile pods and mortars. The word was that if they weren’t able to break through in this battle they would finally unleash the wrath of their superior weapons. 

Nia, Vess, and the rest of their squad raced into battle along with other squads. Gormotti men and women had taken entrenched positions and were firing guns and rockets from the walls of Torigoth and down on the plain itself. The job of the Blades was to deal with high priority targets. 

Garrett snapped an order out at them. “We’re to aim for unique Blades first! The word from command is that the Ardanians have finally committed the Jewel to battle! If we take her out and capture her Core Crystal our people might be able to bargain concessions out of the Empire in exchange for its return! If we see her we’re to focus all of our efforts on defeating her! But be wary, she’s touted as the strongest Blade in the Empire!”

The Jewel of Mor Ardain. Not once in the last two years of war, even before Nia had been Awakened, had the Empire sent the Jewel out into the fight. Plenty of other Blades, but never her. Perhaps it was because her Driver was the Emperor’s nephew. Or maybe they thought it wasn’t necessary. 

Nia felt her stomach flutter with excitement and dread. The Strongest Blade in the Empire. If she could liberate the Jewel herself…

The fighting was vicious. The Ardanians fought as ruthlessly as ever, but seemed to have greater backbone than ever before. Spurred on by the knowledge that their heavy weapons waited in the back in case things went poorly this time. A few of the squads had been assigned to try and sneak in and disable those weapons. Or commandeer them.

Frequently Nia found herself fighting back to back with Vess. They and their Drivers had lost sight of their other squad members in the melee. No, that wasn’t true. Their other members had last been surrounded by a veritable flesh wall of armed soldiers. They were likely already dead. 

Together Nia and Vess tore their way through the battlefield. When one of them or their Driver was injured they’d offer support in the form of healing. When they spotted a Driver they’d make a concentrated effort to team up and dispose of the enemy. Sometimes they succeeded, but other times the Drivers got away or their squad was forced to retreat. 

Several times they had to retreat so they could rest a little. The battle had been dragging on for hours. It wasn’t night yet, but it was coming soon. She and Vess did what they could to salve the fatigue their Drivers were experiencing. They had done it too many times in this battle. If they survived, their Drivers would have to sleep for days to recover. 

Nia was no tactical expert, but it wasn’t hard to tell that their side was losing. The Gormotti forces were determined and desperate, but it wasn’t enough. Unless a major blow was struck against the Ardanians the battle would be lost. 

Vess looked exhausted despite her regeneration. Neither she nor Nia had huge ether reserves to work with and Vess had taken more injuries over the course of the battle. It was taking its toll on her. “Don’t worry Vess. One way or another, this is the last battle. Then we can be free.”

“Oh Nia…” Nia didn’t like the sad way that Vess said that. Vess had never seemed cut out for war. She was too kind. Too nice to admit that she was being exploited. That she was a slave. She deserved something better. 

Nia opened her mouth to respond...and then saw _her_. She strode elegantly and fearsomely through the battlefield, a wide circle around her at all times, cleared of enemies. Blue flames streaked out from her as her weapons lashed out like whips, dealing devastating blows to anyone or anything that got in her way. 

Without thinking Nia gathered ether and rushed forward. Vess joined in her attack moments later, their Drivers trailing slightly behind. “Vess, do it!”

“Right!” Her friend jumped up, tossed her Bitball into the air, and then spiked it with all of her strength. She packed the Bitball full of electric ether and sent it shooting at nearly blinding speeds right for the Jewel of Mor Ardain. 

The woman in her blue dress, shapely in an enviable way, with her purple hair seeming caught up in her own flames, the Jewel of Mor Ardain...dropped one of her whip weapons and caught Vess’ Bitball one handed. The force of the attack pushed the Blade back several meters, but she still stood her ground. She shuddered in pain as electricity flooded into her, but still she didn’t fall. 

The Jewel of Mor Ardain squeezed and blue flames roared to life around the Bitball, incinerating it. Vess stopped dead and stared in horror. “But…”

The enemy Blade zipped past Nia and reached a stunned Vess in mere moments. The other weapon reformed in her now empty hand, now in the shape of an almost baton-like weapon with a bladed edge. She snapped her wrist and it extended into the snake-like whip form from before and wrapped around Vess. 

Nia turned and launched a bolt of water ether at her enemy, but the woman swung Vess into the way to take the blow. A wall of blue fire roared to life in front of Nia, blocking her view and forcing her to jump backwards to avoid being burned. 

Off to the side Nia heard a familiar voice cry out. When she turned she saw the Jewel had appeared in front of Vess’ Driver and placed a hand on the man’s chest. In moments he was covered head to toe in her brutal flames. 

The wall of fire in front of Nia was winked out just in time for her to see Vess’ Core Crystal tumbled into the burnt grass. Nia dashed across the grass and scooped the crystal up and tossed it to her Driver. “Protect that and stay behind me!”

This wasn’t a fight her Driver could be involved in. This had to be her. The Jewel turned to her and casually lashed out with her whip sword, flames tracing its length. Nia blasted the weapon with a jet of water and it fell limp until the Jewel retracted it. 

The Jewel sauntered forward, her hips swaying in an almost sensual way despite the fact that they were in a life or death battle. “So,” she said. “I recognize your description. You must be the one they’ve been calling the Crimson Bellflower.”

Nia nodded. “And you’re this so-called Strongest Blade in the Empire. The Jewel of Mor Ardain.”

The woman accepted the title with a gracious nod. Nia wasn’t sure whether the woman’s eyes were squinted nearly closed or if they were actually closed. “That’s right. Both titles are accurate, but I prefer friends and foes call me Brighid. Or Lady Brighid for commoners. And you are?”

“Your foe!” Nia raised her sword up and needles of water ether rained down on Brighid from above. She lithely dodged to the side, although a few of them did pelt her, sizzling when they hit the fire that coated the buns in her hair. 

Nia closed in and attacked in close quarters, with a series of rapid sword thrusts. Brighid would have the advantage at a middle distance with her whip sword. “Looks like you don’t appreciate getting wet. And here I thought the Gormotti were the cats!”

Brighid parried her attacks with seemingly little effort, no sign of strain on her face. “No one told me the Crimson Bellflower was so sassy.”

“If I had known the Jewel was a bad match for my water I wouldn’t have even bothered learning your name!” Despite her words every single parry made her arms and shoulders ache. The amount of raw ether Brighid was emanating was ridiculous. Easily several times what Nia herself could muster. The fire Blade’s strength and speed were equally impressive, but there was something Nia realized quickly.

“I don’t know why the Empire doesn’t send you out, but they’ve done you a disservice!” Brighid looked momentarily confused and Nia feinted, then quickly shifted her attack and slipped past Brighid’s defenses, slicing a deep cut across the Blade’s side. Brighid winced in pain, but kept fighting.

“What exactly does that mean?” Brighid pushed into the offensive and Nia knew she was right. The woman’s speed and technique were perfect. The ideal practical form for her weapons. Alternating which sword was for defense and which for attack, trying to keep Nia off balance and confused. Nia responded by sneaking a cut across the woman’s right upper arm and then her left thigh.

“It means you’re a perfect sword right out of the forge! You haven’t got any nicks or scratches! No wear and tear! You’re the absolute picture of a textbook.” She landed another small cut across the woman’s belly and then a thin line on her cheek.

Nia stayed on the defensive, but kept landing small strikes here and there. “Have you ever seen a real battle before? While you’ve been relaxing back in Mor Ardain I’ve been fighting for my life on the battlefield for a year and a half! You might as well have just been Awakened!”

Despite her words, Nia was becoming painfully aware of the one major difference between them. Nia had far more combat experience and she was using it to her advantage, but she wasn’t dealing any real lasting damage. She had been fighting all day and it was taking all of her power just to physically keep up with Brighid’s superior speed. It didn’t feel like Brighid’s ether reserves had fluctuated at all.

Brighid simply had far more raw ether to draw on and empower herself with. Had the woman’s natural skill been even a hair less Nia was certain she could have finished the battle already. As things stood she wasn’t sure if she could end things before she ran out of power. 

“You’re tied to these monsters! These Humans who don’t deserve the flame of life that the Architect gave them! You’re a slave to their whims, just like I am! But with your power you don’t have to be! You could just walk away!”

Brighid pushed back with greater ferocity. “I serve the Empire of Mor Ardain faithfully! I won’t be lectured by some fox-eared Blade who wants to prattle moral philosophy in the middle of battle!”

The affinity link between Nia and Garrett snapped and the ether flowing through her rebounded and then diminished. As a result she stumbled and fell. She tried to scramble to her feet, but Brighid grabbed her from behind, wrapping an arm around Nia’s neck and pulled her up. Then Brighid placed one of her whip swords against Nia’s cheek. “Looks like I win.”

Nia looked around for Garrett and saw him collapsed on his side, blood trickling down the side of his head. She could sense his life force since they were in resonance. He was still alive and not in rough shape. From the look of it a stray piece of debris had knocked him out. What ridiculous timing.

“You win? I keep saying you’re green, but you don’t seem to get it! We’re Blades! We’re better than they are! Let me show you!” Nia shifted her grip on her sword and rammed it into her own belly and out the other side. Brighid screamed in pain as the sword stabbed up into her stomach as well. 

Nia let out a surge of ether and Brighid was forced to release her. Before the other woman could recover Nia spun and stabbed the Blade in the shoulder. She drove forward with her weapon and used her own body weight and the sword through Brighid’s shoulder to drive the other Blade into the ground. 

Nia wrenched her sword free and placed it point first up against the woman’s Core Crystal, a unique shape that looked like a tear made out of flame. Nia placed an open palm at the top of her sword’s hilt, prepared to drive the weapon home. At the same moment Brighid’s uninjured arm came up and her whip sword pressed up against Nia’s own Core Crystal. 

Brighid panted slightly, her face distorted by the pain of her wounds. “Looks like it’s a tie.”

“A tie? There’s no such thing in war. Go ahead and do it! Let’s kill each other! At least then we’ll be free from the Humans and this stupid war of theirs!” 

“I don’t believe either of us wants that. If you did, you would have struck before I raised my sword.”

“I do! I do want this! I want it to end! I don’t want to fight anymore!” 

“Then just walk away.”

“I can’t!”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t know how!”

Nia felt something disrupt the ether in the atmosphere. She could feel it from Titanpeds away. Something strange, not quite ether, was distorting the ether flow. From the expression of horror on Brighid’s face Nia knew the woman could sense something as well.

Nia shot a look over her shoulder just in time to see the clouds blow apart above the Gormotti Titan’s neck. Something bright red lanced down from the clouds and struck the capital of White Chair and huge gouts of flame and rubble erupted from the impact. The strange red line made a sweeping circle and more of White Chair was obliterated. 

It all lasted only a few seconds before the red line was gone. In those handful of heartbeats the capital city of Gormott had been wiped off the map. Flames roared and smoke drifted through the remains of that once proud city. 

Stunned she slumped off of Brighid and flopped onto her back, staring up at the darkening sky. “Monsters. Madness. What kind of insanity was that?”

Brighid lay there, in just as bad shape as Nia. “Truthfully I do not know. I wish that I did.”

Nia wasn’t sure how long they lay there. The fighting had almost completely stopped, everyone stunned by what had just transpired. 

Sometime later Nia heard a voice blaring out over loud speakers as people ran across the battlefield making a proclamation. “The war is over!” They shouted. “The ruling bodies of Gormott have brokered a peaceful surrender to the Empire of Mor Ardain with the help of the Praetorium. The war is over!”

Peaceful surrender. Brokered a deal. Nia couldn’t help but laugh. Laugh until tears streamed down her face. 

So many lives lost. So many friends. So many people dead at her hands. Her. She was supposed to be a healer, not a killer. What did she do now? What was there for her without the war? What was the point of all that violence if it could just have been solved by peace talks? What was the point of any of it?

Her tears didn’t dry up even as a wounded Garrett picked her up and carried her away. Soldiers had helped Brighid off the battlefield a while before that. Nia sobbed into her Drivers chest. She couldn’t stop it.

“I feel so sick...so disgusted. I...I hate Humans.”

“I know.” Garrett said softly.

“I hate you.”

“I know.” Garett said quietly.

“I hate…”. Me. She couldn’t even say it out loud. Like a coward.

“I know.” Garrett said sadly.

As Garrett carried his Blade’s light form back into Torigoth he realized something for the first time. He had always had Nia’s back on the battlefield. Or tried to. He had attempted to follow the credo of “A Blade protects their Driver, but a Driver protects their Blade.”

He had protected her on the battlefield. But had he even once protected her as a person?

When they marched back into Torigoth Nia had finally recovered enough to walk by herself. There were crowds of people of all ages watching them with despair in their eyes. Word had gone around that White Chair had been destroyed by a barrage of missiles from the Ardanian Titan battleships that now hovered around Torigoth’s airspace. Garrett hadn’t seen it. He had been unconscious. 

People watched them with bated breath. They didn’t know whether to laugh or cry or scream. Garrett wasn’t sure how he felt either. Nia tugged at his shirt and he looked down at her confused as she held her hands out, palms up. “I don’t understand.”

“Please. She’s with you. Please.” Now Garrett understood. He reached into his backpack filled with his gear and rooted around until he found Vess’ Core Crystal. He pressed it into her hands.

“What are you going to do with it?” Garrett knew, objectively, that he was supposed to bring Vess’ Core Crystal to the noble family who had owned it. But couldn’t he let his Blade be selfish just this once?

Nia staggered off, still not completely steady. And then not far away she knelt in front of a young boy and gave him the Core Crystal, speaking to him softly. An Ardanian boy by the looks of him, but clearly from Gormott based on his clothes. Then she returned to Garrett’s side. 

“Why that little boy? You don’t even know that he’s a Driver.”

She shrugged. “Maybe it’s better if he isn’t.”

“Yeah, but why him?”

“I thought...that a child was the safest place for a Blade. He was just the first one I saw.”

“And if he’s a Driver and treats her poorly?”

“Then I’ll find Vess a new Driver who treats her better.” Garrett decided it was best not to ask how she would accomplish that.

“Nia…”, he wasn’t sure quite how to approach this next topic.

“Yeah?”

“What...what do you want to do?”

“Can I...can I just do nothing? For a while?” 

Far behind and above them pillars of smoke still rose from the remains of White Chair. The war was over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So hey, that was kinda grim wasn't it? The next chapter will also take place in the past and then it's back to the present. I'm considering going the route of having one or two of the flashback style chapters at the transition between each "Chapter". Those will probably be essentially full length, but if I weave any other flashback chapters in other places they'll likely be shorter. We'll see.


	16. "I Always Thought People Were Selfish"

4031

Nia’s Driver, Enoch, was a clumsy and awkward young man. The young scion of House Echell, he was destined to take over as head of the house, but so far Nia hadn’t seen much that impressed her. True Enoch had only been her Driver for a few months, but he was just so...painful to watch. 

When he practiced with her sword his grip was wrong and he lacked any of the precision needed to wield a weapon like hers. When he went to his music lessons he was off key or too slow or too fast. When it was time for dancing lessons he stumbled and stepped on his instructor’s feet. During history lessons he never got the details quite right or forgot entire key events. His grasp of economics was poor and he struggled with math and political training. 

He was, to put it simply, incompetent. Nia found that she rather liked the clumsy idiot. No matter how often or how badly he messed up he never complained. He would just pick himself back up and try again. He took criticism well and showed a raw determination to get things right that Nia found admirable. Enoch was far from becoming a man worthy of an outsider’s respect, but to Nia his unflinching effort was more than enough to earn hers.

Right now she was sitting on the lip of the fountain in the main plaza of Torigoth, watching Enoch chat amicably with a girl from one of the other noble houses. Felicia was the third daughter of the declining Tambor house if Nia remembered correctly. She had made sure to ask the house servants after noticing that Enoch went out of his way to encounter Felicia on a regular basis. It was kinda cute. In Enoch’s own awkward way.

As usual Felicia was accompanied by her loyal Blade, a big intimidating looking beast-form Blade with the appearance of a white tiger. Nia hadn’t caught his name, but the few times she had lingered while Enoch and Felicia had talked the tiger hadn’t participated. He was sort of like a chaperone. That made Nia pout a little. Enoch would never make real progress if he always had a Blade there, getting in the way. That was why she waited out of the way whenever Enoch met Felicia.

Well, that and she wasn’t certain she could keep herself from teasing the two of them if she stuck around. 

She made a quick decision and hopped up from her perch and sauntered over to the conversation. Enoch looked over his shoulder at her approach. “Oh, Nia, I’m not running late for anything am I?”

“Nah, nothing like that. Actually, I was hoping to have a private conversation with this big fella here.” She pointed at the beast Blade. 

In a deep rumbling, but surprisingly soothing voice, he said. “Miss Nia, it would be against decorum for me to leave Milady in male company without an escort.”

Enoch and Felicia both flushed. Nia sighed and put a hand on the big cat’s head and patted it. “Oh come on you big fluffball, you’ll still be able to see them. I just wanna have a quick chat over there.” She pointed towards the fountain.

The beast Blade peered up at his Driver. Felicia nodded encouragingly. “I will be quite alright Dromarch. Please indulge Nia. You do not spend nearly as much time with other Blades as I think you should.”

“But, Milady…” Dromarch hung his head a little.

“Cheer up Dromarch,” said Nia. “It’ll be a good chat. I’ve got conversational skills and everything.”

She led Dromarch away from the two awkward lovebirds and returned to her spot by the fountain. When they were there Dromarch sat back on his haunches and inspected her. “So, Miss Nia, what was this important chat you wished to have?”

Nia plopped down onto her butt atop the lip of the fountain. “Oh not much. Just wondering what you think of those two as a couple.”

If cats could blush Nia was certain Dromarch would be doing so. “Miss Nia, I’m not sure that’s an appropriate conversation for us to be having about our Drivers.”

“Sure it is. Nobles marry each other all the time. It’s practically the only thing they do for fun. So come on, dish. What do you think?” While she was interested in hearing Dromarch’s answer she mostly just wanted to give those two time for a private conversation.

Dromarch paused to consider his answer. “Hmmm. The young Lord seems a pleasant enough fellow, but his reputation leads me to believe that outside of the considerable wealth of House Echell he has little to offer Milady and House Tambor. He is not especially quick of wit, he lacks skill in any area, and he is plain of face.”

“Sheesh, you don’t hold back do you. I can respect that. But here’s what you’re missing!” She gestured broadly to the two chatting Gormotti nobles. “Enoch tries harder than anyone. He’s the type of person that would do anything in his power to make someone he cares about happy. He likes her. And I’m pretty sure she likes him.”

“And how would you know? You always stand on the sidelines whenever the two meet.”

Nia pointed to her ears. “I don’t advertise it too much, but these aren’t just for show. I still listen to the conversations. And I can read between the lines. Face it Dromarch, those two are good for each other.”

Dromarch was momentarily silent. “I see. Well, in the end the matter will not be determined by either of us. It is up to the feelings of our respective Drivers.”

“Say Dromarch.”

“Yes?”, he said.

“Do you ever let your Driver cuddle with you? You look awfully soft.”

No response. And he was definitely not meeting her eyes. Nia grinned smugly at him. “I knew it.”

\---------------------------

Nia was struggling. Ether cycled between herself and Enoch as she poured every bit of healing ability she had into Felicia and the child within her. Felicia’s desperate screams filled the room. Fundamentally Nia understood what was going wrong with the childbirth, but there were too many elements to keep up with. If she had more power…

If she didn’t put energy into keeping Felicia going the woman would die in labor and the child with her. If she put too much of her effort into Felicia the child would be stillborn. If her focus was too strong on the child then Felicia wouldn’t make it and the child might not either. 

Dromarch stood by the bed, his own efforts put into keeping mother and child alive through the process. Unfortunately, Felicia was in a state where Dromarch couldn’t safely establish affinity and that was limiting his power. 

Enoch stood at the bedside, his hand clutching one of his wife’s. There was a war going on across his features. He was trying to present a strong and encouraging front for Felicia, but every so often the terror would show itself. 

Felicia’s free hand reached up and clasped onto Nia’s wrist, squeezing tightly. “Please, Nia...the baby. You have to...please…”

Dromarch met her eyes and nodded slowly. Nia couldn’t bring herself to look at Enoch. “Are...you sure?”

Felicia smiled. Despite all the pain she was experiencing she still smiled. “Please…”

She and Dromarch split their efforts. Dromarch put every ounce of his healing into Felicia and Nia concentrated on the child within. 

The child was delivered safely. Felicia passed shortly after, Dromarch fading along with her. 

Enoch held his child to his chest, tears rolling down his cheeks as he choked back sobs. 

“I’m sorry Enoch I couldn’t...I wasn’t strong enough.” Enoch didn’t meet her eyes. 

Enoch barely spoke to her for weeks. Nia suspected that her Driver blamed her, in part, for the death of his wife. Felicia had always possessed a frail constitution, but she could have lived if Nia had just been a little more powerful. Or maybe Nia was blaming herself for being unable to save Felicia. What a pathetic pair they were. Driver and Blade, ashamed of their failure.

\--------------------

“Come on Gaya, don’t you want to play blocks with me?” Nia held out her hand and the little toddler trundled along toward her. Together they went into the playroom and sat down so Gaya could enjoy her toys. Enoch had an important meeting to take. His father had passed away earlier in the year, leaving Enoch as the head of the household. The new Lord of Echell.

Nia rarely got to spend much time with Enoch these days. He was constantly busy. Instead she spent most of her time with Gaya. Felicia’s daughter was cute as could be with the fluffiest ears and silky soft grey hair. Gaya liked it when Nia styled her hair with little ribbons. The little Gormotti girl often wore red to match the clothes that Nia wore, but would eventually want to go back to her favorite yellow ones. 

“Big sis,” Gaya said. Her voice was soft and curious. “Where’s daddy?”

It still gave Nia pause, hearing Gaya call her Big sis. A few months before, Gaya had asked Enoch who Nia was. If Nia was her Mama. Enoch had struggled for a few moments, but finally told the little girl that Nia was her sister. He had even instructed the household staff to treat Nia as if she was Enoch’s daughter rather than his Blade. For Gaya’s benefit most likely.

Nia didn’t like calling Enoch ‘father’, as he insisted she do when Gaya was around. She would have liked to go back to the early days, before Gaya, before Felicia, where she could just slack off and tease her Driver. And call him Enoch. Hopefully once Gaya was a little older they could return to some semblance of normalcy.

Nia reached down and patted Gaya on the head, ruffling her hair. “Da is in a meeting. Important grown up stuff. Understand?”

It was clear from her expression that Gaya didn’t. Nia sighed and picked Gaya up, sitting the girl in her lap. “He’s doing boring stuff so that you and I can play together. You don’t mind playing with me, do you?”

“Nuh-uh. I like Big sis.”

“Good. Because I like you too. So let’s play.”

\-----------------

Gaya was frailer than Felicia had ever been. She would collapse if she exerted herself too much, often struggled to breath, and suffered from sporadic headaches and fevers. Nia did everything she could to keep her little sister healthy, but she couldn’t fix the underlying issues. 

Over the last handful of years her father, Enoch, had grown more easily upset. He never lashed out at his daughters, but it was clear he was struggling. Struggling with the fears of his daughter’s poor health. Struggling with maintaining the finances of House Echell. Struggling with the backbiting and politics common amongst the Houses.

Nia wasn’t sure how long it had been since she last called her Driver by his name out loud. It had become an ingrained habit to call him ‘father’ or ‘da” or any variant. Sometimes it was hard to distinguish the false reality Enoch had created from the truth. He always treated her as if she was his daughter, albeit a willful and stubborn one, even in private. Even other nobles called her Enoch’s daughter. 

To break the habit she had encouraged Enoch to resonate with Dromarch’s Core Crystal. If there was another Blade around, maybe he would treat her like she was his Blade again. Enoch stubbornly refused. Said it would be disrespectful of Felicia’s memory. Nia was certain he just thought it would be too painful. She would have enjoyed the big stuffy cat’s company. 

“Big sis?” Nia looked over her shoulder to see Gaya entering her bedroom. Nia had just been lounging in bed lazily. She had planned on picking up a book to read, but had never gotten up the energy to do it.

“G’morning”, she said. 

“Big sis, it’s after noon. How come you didn’t come to breakfast?” Gaya stopped next to Nia’s bed and put her hands on her hips, staring down with her face scrunched up in annoyance. Nia had seen the same expression on Felicia many times. 

“Just felt like sleeping in. Besides, I wasn’t hungry.” Gaya responded by crawling up onto the bed, then over Nia, and finally settled into a seated position at Nia’s side. There was curiosity in Gaya’s eyes as she looked down at Nia. 

Gaya tilted her head to the left and then to the right and then back to the left. Her short grey hair swayed. She had picked the yellow ribbons again. “Big sis...how come you look the same?”

“Same as what?”

“Your old pictures! I found an album in the attic with pictures in it. I was looking for pictures of Mum, but I found pictures of you and Daddy from when Daddy was younger. You look the same!”

Oh. Well, Nia had known that question would come eventually. She reached up and tapped her Core Crystal. “See this?”

“Uh-huh.”

“It means I’m a Blade. Blades don’t age. So this is how I’ll always look.” Gaya had shown interest in Nia’s core when she was younger, but had grown so accustomed to it that the topic never seemed to come up. 

Gaya considered this new information. “So...was Mommy a Blade?”

“Nope.”

“Will...I grow up to be a Blade?”

“Definitely not. You’ll grow up. I won’t. You have to be...born a Blade I guess. It’s complicated.” 

Gaya folded her arms and bit her lip, deep in thought. “So I’ll keep getting bigger and Big sis won’t?”

“Pretty much.”

“So one day I’ll be your Big sis?” 

Nia burst out laughing. “I guess that’s one way of looking at it. Sure, why not. When you get old enough I promise I’ll call you Big sis instead.”

That seemed to please Gaya. “Say...can I touch it?”

“Hmmm?”

Gaya pointed at Nia’s core. “Can I touch it? Is that okay?”

“Sure, if you want.” Gaya reached out tentatively and placed a small finger on the slim diamond shaped core on Nia’s chest. Nia felt the soft sensitive skin of Gaya’s finger as if it were touching Nia’s own flesh. It was a tough material, but despite a core’s durability it was basically just another part of her body. Most Humans probably had no idea that Blades could feel sensation via their core. 

Nia figured it was that way so Blades would be aware of any danger to their core, seeing as how it was sorta like a weak spot. Most Blades wouldn’t cover their cores unless it was with a really soft fabric. Anything too rough brushing up against your core could get uncomfortable.

“I thought it would be soft, but it’s like glass almost.” Gaya pulled her finger away. 

“Yep. Well, it’s a lot tougher than glass, but still.” Even most fluids wouldn’t stick to a Core Crystal. Water, oil, paint, or whatever else, it all just slid right off. Meant it never got dirty though, which was kinda handy.

Gaya laid her head down on Nia’s pillow and snuggled up to her. “When I’m the Big sis, can I take care of you?”

Nia wrapped an arm around her little sister’s shoulder. “You can try, but I’ll always look out for you.”

\------------------------

As Gaya grew older her condition grew worse. Nia’s healing became less and less effective. Nia consulted every medical textbook she could find and that her father could buy for anything that would reveal the nature of Gaya’s illness. If Nia knew what the problem was, maybe she could figure out how to heal it.

When that didn’t work Enoch hired other healing Blades. One after another they came and offered no new solutions. The most powerful healing Blades that money could hire, ones with far more raw power than Nia, and not a single one of them could do better. Where Nia lacked in raw power she made up for it with finesse and raw skill. 

Enoch even attempted to hire the two best healing Blades on Alrest, but one operated out of Tantal and the country was locked up tight and no amount of money convinced the Blade to break the law. The other was supposedly the Praetor’s own personal Blade, but treaties forbid Blades in service of Indol from employing their services to any member of nobility or government of a foreign body.

Nia’s father grew more desperate and became quicker to lash out. He acted as her father, but he would still issue her commands. There was a coldness to him that hadn’t been there before, back when he was still the clumsy and earnest Enoch. 

Other members of the household and other nobles encouraged Enoch to remarry. They all but stated their desire for him to have another child. A child who could inherit House Echell. Enoch raged at their callousness. He would save his daughter. He wouldn’t spit on the memory of his wife. 

Nia began to feel like he was being selfish. He seemed to care more about the memory of his wife and the idea of saving his daughter than he did for his daughter herself. Nia demanded that he spend less time searching for a cure and more time with Gaya. She was thoroughly rebuked. 

Enoch paid for every hokey cure or medicine he came across even a rumor of. Instead of Blades he began trying Human doctors, but none of their attempts made any progress. Gaya’s energy diminished and Nia could tell the young girl, blossoming into a woman, knew she didn’t have long to live.

At one point Enoch learned of an ancient Titan that supposedly lived somewhere in Leftheria. He insisted that surely an intelligent Titan with several centuries of life experience might know of some possible solution. Some cure all or miracle. However, Enoch couldn’t bring himself to leave Gormott for long enough to make the trip. Nia knew he feared his daughter would pass while he was gone.

So at no small expense Enoch had a large broadcast communicator shipped and installed in a local’s home so that he could speak directly to the Titan. Nia watched the conversation from off screen, observing out of curiosity and as a way of offering support to her Driver. She didn’t want to let herself hope for a miracle. 

The behemoth poked his head in through a window to carry on the conversation. Oddly, a little Human boy, no more than three or four years old from the looks of him, spent the whole time sprawled out atop the Titan’s head.

“Oh I’m not an expert,” the old Titan had said. “I suppose the only thing I can think of is Dragon Incense. If I remember correctly it can be found in certain parts of Uraya, but is said to be difficult and dangerous to obtain. It cures quite a number of illnesses. Why I recall it curing an ill child near my home a long time ago. What was her name?”

Enoch thanked the old Titan profusely and insisted that the villagers keep the communicator as payment. The woman whose house the Titan had been poking his head into seemed amused by the idea. Even said that it wouldn’t get any use and would probably just sit in a closet somewhere gathering dust. The old Titan insisted that no payment was necessary as helping people was its own reward.

Nia had heard plenty of Blades and Humans say the same thing as they happily accepted heaps of Enoch’s gold. They could profess to charity as much as they wanted, but that communication device was worth several hundred thousand gold. Not admitting to what you really wanted...wasn’t that just another form of selfishness?

With new information in hand Enoch spent even more money researching the Dragon Incense. Eventually they discovered why it was so rare. It was usually only found in a specific section of the Urayan Titan’s body, a place called the Dragon’s Stomach that was infested with dangerous monsters. 

So Enoch set up spending even more money to hire mercenaries to brave the Dragon’s Stomach and acquire the Dragon Incense. The first batch of mercenaries to take the job failed and insisted that no amount of money would make them try again.

When word spread of the failure and no other mercenaries stepped up to undertake the mission, Enoch doubled the reward. Finally a second mercenary group took the job. This group also failed and said much the same thing. It’s impossible. How much? It’s not about gold, it’s not worth it.

Once more no one took up the job. Weeks passed. So Enoch doubled the reward again. But the money was so suspiciously large that mercenary troops asked around before accepting and heard the tales of the first two groups. No one was accepting. 

Once again Enoch doubled it. A small Urayan mercenary group accepted the job. Apparently this bunch had a number of experienced Drivers in their employ. Eventually after a few weeks they reported success. They had acquired the Dragon Incense and were coming to Gormott to deliver it.

Nia and Enoch met the mercenaries out on the Garanti Plain. Apparently with current tension between Uraya and Gormott it was illegal to import or export food or materials with Uraya. So to avoid legal complications they would take possession of the Dragon Incense away from prying eyes.

The men who were meeting them turned out to be a pair of Drivers. One was a slim Urayan with greenish hair, a beard, and thick glasses. He had a Greataxe slung over his shoulders and a Common Blade stood by his side. It was the other Driver that Nia found interesting. 

A truly huge man with mostly teal hair that seemed to be going grey, he had scars all over his body, hooked hand scythes hung at his sides, and a shoddy bandage job in an x-pattern on his face. Behind him was a tall feathered Blade, like a Humanoid bird. “Got yer package right here.”

The big Urayan held out a hefty box toward Enoch. Her Driver gratefully accepted it, and then passed a briefcase filled with money to the mercenary. “Thank you for your hard work. It has been a real struggle to get this.”

The Urayan laughed boisterously. “I don’t doubt it! Those Parisax gave us a hell of a fight. Real tough buggers, that’s for sure. They even did a number on me!” He jerked a thumb up towards the bandages on his face.

“I can heal that for you. I haven’t got money of my own, but that’s the least I can do.” Nia stepped forward and reached out towards his face, gathering ether. One of his large hands gently clasped her arm and pushed it away.

“That’s okay, no worries. It’s best that I keep this. It’s a reminder to be more careful.” 

Nia rolled her eyes. “None of that macho stuff. Let me heal it or you’ll get an infection. That bandage isn’t doing you any good. You aren’t even cleaning it properly.”

“I always managed before. I’ll get through this too.” 

Nia stomped forward and glared up at him, trying her best to loom despite the fact that he was nearly double her size. “I’m not gonna sit around while some big lug insists he’s fine when I can see your bandage getting redder. Lemme fix it or I’ll bash you up.”

The smaller Urayan snickered. “You better listen to her boss. She’s real scary.”

Nia whirled on the man and gave him her best hateful stare. “You shut yer trap. Don’t encourage him to be an idiot.”

The large mercenary grinned broadly and shrugged like it was no big deal. He turned to his Blade. “Waddya think Roc? Should I let her heal it? I need the reminder...so maybe just part way?”

“Let her fix you. You’re ugly enough as it is.” The bird-like Blade managed to say that without his voice showing any hint of malice or humor. 

The big guy just laughed. “Guess you’re right about that! So little lady, I’ll let you heal me up, but only just enough so it isn’t bleeding or infected.”

Nia scrunched up her brown in consternation. “If I do that it’ll leave a big scar.”

“It’s fine. Like I said, I need the reminder.” 

Enoch reached out and placed a hand on Nia’s shoulder. “I’ll head on back to start preparing the Dragon Incense. Come back when you’re done.”

“Right.” Enoch left them behind, so Nia gathered up ether again and moved closer to the big mercenary.

“So, big guy,” she started.

“Vandham.” 

“Right, so Vandham. Why the reminder? Do you really need another scar to tell you to be careful? You’ve got plenty of those.” She lightly touched his face with water ether and began to carefully heal the damage. It was getting infected like she had suspected. Honestly it was slower going, healing it only part way than it would have been just healing it entirely.

For a man who had previously been so jocular, Vandham was surprisingly somber when he gave her his answer. “We lost someone on the job. Good fella. The scar is to remind me to be more careful when I’m protecting my people. You get scars in war, so I leave the scars. D’ya understand?”

“Do I understand? Why didn’t you tell us? If someone lost their life maybe we could have done something!” 

“What’s done is done. D’you think more gold would make it better? Nah, that’s just the way of a mercenary’s life. Sometimes you lose friends, but even if you expect it, it’s always hard. It’s better if it’s hard.” The other Driver and the two Blades nodded solemnly in understanding.

“Better if it’s hard? I’m not sure I get it.” She pulled her hand away, the healing finished. The skin was still a little puffy, but he would for sure have a scar across the center of his face like a giant x. 

“If it’s ever easy, losing a friend or comrade, that’s the day I give up the mercenary life. It shouldn’t be easy. Killing or losing someone.”

Nia looked away from Vandham and down to the grass beneath her feet. A man had lost his life acquiring medicine for her sister. “At what point is one person’s life worth another’s?”

“That’s a tough one. I’ve been a mercenary basically my whole life, but I’m not sure I’ve got a good answer for you. I think it’s something everyone who trades in lives, killing, or saving, or healing...that all of those people have to struggle with.”

“Yeah. I guess so.”

Nia bid her farewells to the mercenaries and returned to the manor in Torigoth. It had grown more barren as House Echell hemorrhaged money. There was very little staff left at this point. In addition to what he was spending on these efforts, Enoch had mismanaged the House’s finances and business ventures. He had recently lost a substantial amount of money in a transaction involving a load of subtly damaged Core Crystals. 

She helped her father prepare the Dragon Incense in the method described in the texts they had found. They administered it to Gaya and waited for days. 

The Dragon Incense had accomplished nothing. 

A man had died to bring them the Dragon Incense and it hadn’t mattered. Her sister was still dying. 

Gaya had smiled and told them it was going to be okay, her face pale and her body growing thinner. She wore the yellow ribbons again. 

Enoch had hugged his daughter and then retreated to the other side of the house. Nia found him staring blankly and silently out the window, his ears quivering atop his head, his hands clutching the window sill so hard that his knuckles had gone white. 

“Enoch I…”, her Driver had spun around to look at her and she stopped immediately. His eyes were puffy and red, tears rolling down his cheeks. There was something crazed about him. Dangerous. 

Nia realized that she had unconsciously backed away from him. Retreated from her Driver, that clumsy hardworking Enoch. That awkward boy who had blushed furiously whenever she teased him was gone completely. Obliterated by sorrow and hardship. 

Nia could have saved Felicia that day. Gaya would never have been born, but Enoch’s precious wife would have lived on. They could have tried again. Enoch would have mourned, but not in the endless heartbreaking way that he did now. Suffering day by day as his daughter drifted closer to the end of her life. 

But Felicia had made Nia save Gaya. And here they were.

Enoch struggled to talk. Nia recognized what was happening. When he became too emotional he often had difficulty speaking, like the words were choked away by his sorrow. “I’m not like you. I can’t forget. Either of them. I won’t get another chance for a happy life...do you understand?”

Nia shook her head. “Enoch please, there are still other things we can try. I can save Gaya!”

“Like you saved Felicia?” 

Nia felt like she had been struck in the stomach, the wind knocked out of her. “That’s...not fair. It’s not fair, I…”

Enoch lowered his head to stare down at the floor. “No, it isn’t fair. None of this is fair. You should go. Leave me alone.”

Slowly Nia backed out of the room. As she exited she heard him mutter again, under his breath. “I’m not like you…but maybe you…”

\---------------------

Nia sat back in her chair, one arm draped over the wooden table. In the other seat across from her Vess was sipping tea. In the open area near Vess’ home Gaya was getting lessons from Mabon in juggling. The old man was shockingly good at it and was giving Gaya pointers and practical demonstrations. 

Gaya always enjoyed spending time at Vess and Mabon’s home. Vess would treat them to a meal and Mabon would spin a tale about his old adventuring days. Nia’s sister had grown into a pretty young lady despite her poor health. She was always painfully thin and lacked much in the way of an appetite, but nice clothing helped disguise that. 

Now, at fifteen, Gaya was just a little taller than Nia. Well, not counting the ears of course. It seemed at once just yesterday and an eternity ago that Gaya had been small enough for Nia to carry. 

Vess placed a hand atop Nia’s and offered her one of those sweet smiles. “You’ve told me how she’s doing, but how are you dear?”

“Same as ever I guess. Things are rough back home, but I get by.” Even with Vess she couldn’t bring herself to admit how painful it had become to be in that house. Watching Gaya die day by day, seeing Enoch fall apart and grow colder. 

The other woman didn’t even bat an eye. Nia could tell, after all these years knowing Vess, that there wasn’t a shred of “I believe you” in that gaze. No surprise there. Still, Vess wasn’t the type to force an issue or pry. Nia appreciated that about her.

“Oh, while I’m thinking about it I did want to mention something. You should be careful walking around town. I overheard some of the guards say that a local Driver was murdered recently and his Blade’s Core Crystal taken.” 

“Who?” Nia didn’t know all of the Blades in Torigoth, but she did know several of them. The only one she was close to was Vess though.

“They didn’t say. I’m sure that’s out of respect for the victim.”

_‘Right,’_ thought Nia. _‘The victim in this case being the Driver.’_

“I was told that someone wandering at night got a glimpse of the incident. They were saying the attacker was a woman with long black hair. So if you see anyone suspicious who meets that description...well you and Gaya be careful, alright?” 

Nia nodded. “Course I will. If I can help it I won’t let anyone hurt a hair on that girl’s head.” If she could help it.

Gaya walked slowly over, juggling three rocks between her two hands. “Look, sis! I’m getting pretty good at it, aren’t I?”

“Oh yeah. Soon enough you’ll be better than Mabon.” The old man himself approached, juggling what had to be two dozen rocks while having the most deliberately bored expression plastered onto his face. Codger had the gall to fake a yawn.

“Well Vess and I will enjoy seeing that day.” He transferred all of the rocks to one hand, continuing the juggling act. All so he could ostentatiously pat a hand over his mouth to make an even bigger fake yawn. Nia considered kicking him.

Nia’s sister smiled wistfully. “It’d be nice, but I think it’d take until I was as old as Mr. Mabon.”

Nia grinned at her sister. “So once you’re old and pruny we’ll come back so you can show off your skills.”

Gaya gave Nia the most knowing smile, filled with sadness and resignation. “Of course,” Gaya lied. 

In that moment Nia felt so small and useless. What was the point of being a Blade, someone who was born to protect others, if you couldn’t save the ones you truly loved?

Her sister set the rocks down and sat in Nia’s lap, leaning backwards against Nia’s chest. “You’ll still be my young and pretty and sassy sis. Even after…”

Gaya nestled her head against Nia’s shoulders. “After all, you’re not like me.”

\---------------------

House Echell was no more. The last of her father’s assets had been seized to pay the House’s debts and their status as nobility had been stripped. The Echell mansion had been sold and they were to move to a small guest home on the other side of Gormott. They packed up their few possessions and began the process of moving. 

While handling the moving she and her father made the decision to leave Gaya in the care of Vess and Mabon. There were heavy storms coming and it wouldn’t be good for the already sickly Gaya to go out in that kind of weather. When the storm had passed they would bring Gaya out to their new home.

Gaya’s condition had continued to grow worse. Along with her, Enoch had grown even colder and more distant. While still calling Nia his daughter he commanded her here and there not like she was his daughter or Blade, but almost like a slave. There was almost nothing left of the young man who had Awakened her. Sometimes she saw glimmers of him, but they were rare.

Just a few weeks before she had seen genuine hesitation in his desperate eyes as he unpacked a book that he had purchased using some of their remaining funds. It had been shockingly expensive. He had clung to the book like it was his last hope of life. 

“Father...what is that book? Why did you go to so much trouble to get it?” 

He pulled the book away from his chest and held it out to her. “It’s for you. I want you to read it and memorize it. Then I want you to burn it.”

“Burn it? After you spent so much on it?” She took the book and looked it over. It was a cracked and old leather bound book, fairly slim, but with no title or author listed. “What’s in it?”

“The past. The future maybe. Secrets. For you. And for your sister.” He had gotten up from his chair and left the room, leaving Nia alone with the book.

Nia had done as he told her. She had read the book from cover to cover until she had it memorized. Then she had hidden it away. She hadn’t been able to bring herself to destroy it. 

He had been right. It was knowledge, secrets rather, from the past. It was one final hope for Gaya, for Nia, but it was a mad hope. It was utter nonsense. It wouldn’t save anyone. Not really. It would just save...memories. 

And so they set out into the wilds of Gormott with their belongings in tow. When the storm hit they tried to take shelter, but the winds were so strong and the rain so heavy that it was nearly impossible to tell where they were going. 

A wave of clouds crashed hard up onto the shore and the ground crumbled away beneath her father’s feet. Chunks of dirt, and rock, and the hard armored body of Melnath itself all tumbled down into the Cloud Sea below along with Enoch and most of their possessions.

Nia didn’t pause. She didn’t think. She just acted. She dove into the Cloud Sea below. The clouds were churned up with debris and the current. It was so damned strong. She reached out through the ether to feel their resonance and followed that.

Even with her command over water and all the ether she could draw upon it was exhausting work, trying to force her way through the violent currents and towards where her father was. She couldn’t see anything more than a handful of centimeters in front of her, everything illuminated only by the light of her core. 

Her lungs burned, her muscles quivered from the effort, and her mind was growing hazy. But there, there it was. Enoch was somewhere inside of a mound of rubble, a chunk of Melnath’s carapace and some rocks. 

There was no way inside. Feeling desperate Nia planted her feet and gripped her hands into the sandy bottom and surged her ether into a column of water. Carefully she used the water to drag out chunks of the rock and carve a path into the rubble. It didn’t need to be big. Just big enough for her to get in and get Enoch out. She could feel herself starting to grow faint. 

She hadn’t been able to save Felicia. She hadn’t been able to save Gaya. She would save Enoch. No matter what.

When the way was clear enough she dragged herself into the tunnel she had made, moving forward bit by bit until ahead she could faintly make out Enoch, trapped beneath the rocks. She reached out her hand and grabbed his, but he was completely pinned.

Thoughts were getting more difficult. Her light was fading, her mind slipping away. Desperately she drew upon what little bit of ether she could still manage to try and use water ether to shift the debris off of Enoch. It barely budged. 

Nia had to get him out. She had to get them back up the surface. Gaya was up there. Waiting for them to come back for her. 

The knowledge from the book flooded into her mind. A method that might grant her the extra power she needed to free her Driver. All she had to do was…

The light faded from Enoch’s eyes. There were no more chances. Nia was going to die here in the cold dark sea. She would never see the sky again. Never laugh or live or love or do anything. What sort of life might she have experienced if she could have made it safely back to the surface? One of tragedy or one of joy? Instead all she had was an unending grave. The immortality of a Blade meant nothing if your Core Crystal was lost somewhere it could never be found. 

An eternity beneath the clouds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well there it is, the closest this story will ever get to the original canon Nia. Next we will return to our story in progress.


	17. Her Voice That Night

Captain Padraigh wasn’t completely sure how he had risen to his current position. Good luck? Time spent? He had never considered himself an excellent officer, just a consistent one. Decent in a fight too. Well, a fight with normal people. Drivers and Blades, especially Blades like the Aegis, were way above his punching weight. 

That was why when he saw a Blade walking towards the cordoned off area where the Aegis had been hiding he felt a sense of dread. The last thing he wanted right now was to pick a fight with a Blade. Still, there was work to do. He motioned for two of his men to follow after him.

The Blade had stopped and was inspecting the barricade that had been placed in front of the home’s entrance. Padraigh stepped out in front of his men and addressed the Blade. “That area is currently off limits. Do you have some business with the resident of this address?”

Padraigh flinched as the Blade turned around. From behind the Blade had appeared normal enough with largely black and red form-fitting armor covering its body and a plain cape draped over its left arm. However, its face was bizarre even for a Blade. While Common Blades had flesh that resembled metal, this Blade’s face gleamed a solid burnished crimson, like a metal mask dyed red. Its mouth was an etched smile set permanently in place. Strangely its eyes were set further into the face and were a simple soothing grey color that contrasted with the rest of the Blade’s fearsome appearance.

“My apologies. I didn’t know this area had been closed off. I was trying to complete a business transaction with the Nopon who lives here. Did something happen?” Padraigh was surprised to hear an accent reminiscent of the Tantalese from the Blade. It wasn’t one he heard very often.

“The Nopon in question is a fugitive. What is your relationship with this Nopon?” Padraigh tensed, desperately hoping the Blade wouldn’t react negatively.

“Not much of one I’m afraid. I acquired some components for a project the fellow was working on, but little beyond that. If he’s on the run from the law I’m guessing I won’t be able to finish our business.” Despite its fearsome face, this Blade was surprisingly calm and friendly sounding. Padraigh felt himself starting to relax.

“If you hear any news of the Nopon’s whereabouts, be sure to report them to official representatives of the Ardanian government. There’s a reward for any information leading to his capture.” 

The Blade nodded. Despite the Blade’s friendly tone there was something unsettling about a mouth that didn’t move. “I’ll be sure to keep that in mind. I’m sorry for wasting your time.”

“Right. Move along.” Padraigh waved the Blade away and let the last of the tension bleed away. Thank the Architect. He hadn’t been prepared to get into another fight with a Blade. His salary didn’t cover that kind of conflict.

“Ah!” His men looked at him curiously. “I forgot to ask his name and registration number. Uh...don’t tell the Consul.”

\--------------------------

Their first day on the unnamed Titan was mostly uneventful. They made their way around the top of its body, finding good flat spots to set out a campfire, gathered wood, and looked for berries and nuts. There were very few animals and birds living on the Titan so they chose not to hunt any of them. 

When they had gathered a little bit of extra food and the firewood they might need they had settled in for a little relaxation. The only real thing of note was that Rex, Mythra, and Vess had taken turns sparring with Tora and Poppi to give them a little practice. Each of the three had also given bits of advice to the new Driver and Blade to help them improve. 

Mythra had offered to spar with Vess as well, but the electric Blade had declined. “I’ve never found fighting much fun and neither of us needs to sharpen our skills. Let’s save our energy for helping Tora and Poppi.”

Mythra had grumbled a little, but had agreed. When Rex had asked her about it she had admitted that sparring was something she used to do with the Blades in her group five centuries before. Although Mythra didn’t say so, Rex suspected she really meant that it was how she expressed her camaraderie. Maybe he could convince Vess later.

Vess turned out to be an excellent judge of Tora and Poppi’s combat skills, their strengths, and their flaws. She was really proving that she had been an active Blade for around five decades. A lot of skill and experience piled up over such a long time.

Mythra was...a terrible teacher. She had a superb eye for small details and easily caught Tora and Poppi’s mistakes, but her no nonsense attitude and harsh drill sergeant-esque tone seemed to make Tora less confident and his movements became sloppier. Eventually she threw up her hands and gave up. 

Rex tried to act as the neutral ground, giving encouragement here and polite corrections there. Unfortunately, Tora seemed to seize on anything positive Rex said and steered too strongly into the skid, over focusing on those areas instead of working to improve the flaws Rex pointed out. Maybe having someone Tora admired as a teacher wasn’t a great idea. 

So collectively he and Mythra decided to leave the instruction up to Vess. 

As the day was winding down Rex asked Mythra something he had been wondering for a while. It had seemed an innocuous question when he asked it, but the reaction was stronger than he could have guessed. “Say Mythra?”, he had said.

“Yeah?”

“That red light you aimed at the Maelstrom and that black ship...where did that come from?” It had seemed to come from far above, but with the clouds it was difficult to tell how high the light went. He had seen other Blades, including Nia, summon attacks at range and originating from outside of their bodies, but never anything quite like that. It hadn’t even seemed like an attack. It was like...painting a target.

Mythra sat down on a nearby log and looked off into the distant horizon, here eyes aimed towards the sky. “It...I don’t…”

There was something sad and terrified hiding behind her golden eyes. Rex waved his hands in front of himself in a panic. “Hey, wait, I’m sorry! If it’s difficult to talk about you don’t have to. Really, it’s fine.”

Mythra gritted her teeth and clutched her hands atop her knees. “No, it’s okay. I didn’t mean to freak out. I...should tell you. It’s my power and you’re my Driver.”

Carefully Rex sat down in front of the log so he could look up at her. “Only if you want to. You can tell me if and when you’re ready, alright?”

She nodded slowly, but still kept her eyes on the sky. “Thank you Rex. Not right now, but soon okay?”

Mythra said nothing. And so together they sat in silence for a while. 

\------------------

After everyone had gone to bed for the evening Vess found herself having trouble sleeping. Her thoughts kept drifting to Mabon and wondering how he was handling life without her. They had been together for so long. Was he sneaking more chocolit? Was he keeping his hair and beard neatly trimmed? Did he miss her?

She rolled onto her side and saw Mythra, sitting there in the darkness, hands behind her for support with her eyes locked on the sky. Vess laid there, watching Mythra for nearly an hour. The Aegis didn’t move, she didn’t even seem to blink. Even if they had been sitting right in front of each other Vess wasn’t sure she would have been able to guess what the Aegis was thinking.

Vess thought of Mabon’s children and the late nights they and Mabon had after Mabon’s wife passed. It had been a difficult time for all of them. Slowly she sat up and quietly said, “Mythra, is everything okay?”

There was no response. Feeling a little nervous Vess sidled closer and whispered again. “Mythra, are you alright?”

Mythra looked away from the stars and for the briefest of moments Vess was sure there was something strange in Mythra’s eyes, but it was gone before she could process anything. “Huh? Yeah, I’m fine. Just not sleepy.”

“Is something keeping you up?”

“Like I said, I’m fine. I’m tough. I don’t need as much sleep as most Blades.” 

“Well even the Aegis needs a good night’s rest, dear. Try not to stay up too late.”

“I’m going to go for a walk. You should get some sleep Vess.” Mythra rose and stalked away from the camp and out into the woods. 

Vess sighed and returned to her spot. Whatever was bothering the Aegis it wasn’t something she felt like sharing. That was understandable. She had just met Vess. Hopefully it wasn’t something silly like being bothered by Vess asking to become Rex’s Blade at some point. Vess had known a few Blades who were very possessive of their Driver.

She had always been Mabon’s only Blade so she wasn’t sure what the experience would have been like. Would it have been difficult to adapt to a life with a second Blade around? She liked to believe there would have been no issues, but how could she know? 

Still, eventually the Aegis would have to open up to them. Wouldn’t she?

And why was it that whenever the Aegis fought, Vess could only sense ambient ether being moved about, but very little being drawn in by the blonde Blade? Certainly not enough to account for how much power the Aegis threw around. What was she drawing on if not ether?

\------------------

On their second day waiting they made a point of fishing. Rex whittled a stick into a sharp point and used his anchor shot to cling to the side of the Titan so he could do a little spearfishing. He turned out to be fairly efficient at it and tossed up quite a few different fish onto shore. According to Rex, most of them were the type that fed off of algae and small creatures that formed on the parts of the Titan that were below the water.

“Gramps told me that when a Titan starts to die, their bodies release a lot of ether gases that causes growths that plankton and other little sea critters eat. That draws fish to eat those. It’s a pretty neat process when you think about it.”

“Tora never see what underneath Titans so never knew.” 

“Really? Even for healthy Titans they usually hire divers to clean their sides or underbellies every so often. I’ve known salvagers who abandoned their regular work for contracts to clean Titans.” 

Tora flapped his wings and looked around. “Was Tora only one not to know?”

Vess smiled kindly at him while fiddling with the rings that floated around her wrists. “Don’t worry Tora, I’ve been alive for a little over fifty years and I had no idea.”

Rex shrugged. “Well either way, it’s true. Supposedly it keeps the Titans healthier. I don’t think anybody does it for the really big ones though. It’d be a huge undertaking and super expensive.”

Vess collected the fish Rex had wrangled and began to haul them back towards the ship. “Since you were nice enough to catch these I’ll take care of prep work.”

“Thanks Vess! I’ll gather a little extra firewood. Poppi, think you could give me a hand?”

“Aye aye!” Poppi saluted excitedly.

Mythra sauntered over towards Vess. “I could give you a hand with the cooking.”

“Oh that would be wonderful. I’m not an expert with fish so it’ll be nice to have a helping hand.” The two women shared a smile.

Tora looked around in a panic and then faux whispered to Vess, hiding his mouth with his wings. “Meh, Vess should turn Mythra down. Not worth it. Her food scarier than she is.”

Mythra spun and glared at the Nopon, one of her hands glowing with a menacing light. “Wanna say that again Tora?”

“Tora help Poppi and Rex-Rex with firewood!” He turned and fled, his little legs scurrying as fast as they could go.

Mythra lowered her hand and glowered at the retreating Tora’s back. “I swear that little furball is trying to piss me off.”

“If you struggle with cooking I could give you a few lessons. If you’d like.” Vess stepped up onto the boat and continued towards the kitchen. Mythra followed her a few steps behind.

“If you want, but I’m pretty sure I’ve got it down. Tora is just testing my patience.”

\----------------------

After their meal Rex made a point of going through the supplies that had already been onboard the ship when he purchased it. As a used boat there had been a smattering of different items that had been left by the prior owners.

The Titan vessel turned out to have several maps packed away in a cabinet. There was also some random junk here and there that they packed into a little bag to dispose of later. When she saw that there were some maps Mythra had Rex haul them outside so they could spread out. 

Together they sat down around the maps as Mythra perused them. She was looking for something, her finger tracing a path from point to point across the map. Then she switched to a different map and started looking over that one. 

“What Mythra looking for?”, Poppi asked.

“A specific Titan. A mid-sized one that I’m hoping still exists. Maybe if it does the name has just changed.” Her brow was furrowed in concentration. Her task was a difficult one since most maps only gave a basic idea of the Titan’s shape. Many smaller or mid-sized Titans looked the same or very similar, especially on maps.

“What if Titan is gone?” Leave it to Poppi to come right out and ask that question.

“Then I try to find out where the people living there have gone. They were refugees anyway so they might not have settled permanently.” Her eyes never moved away from the map even as she spoke. 

“These friends of Mythra?”

“No, but they’re my responsibility. I have to find out what happened to them. I need to…”, she trailed off and jabbed her finger into a spot on the map. “Rex, I need a pencil.”

“Huh, oh sure.” He dug out a waterproof pencil from among the supplies from the boat and passed it over. 

Mythra spread all the maps out and marked different Titans on each map, at least a few on each. “All of these Titans could be Spessia by the way they were drawn on the map. Are any of these Titans gone?”

Rex and Vess perused the maps and pointed out a Titan that, based on its name, they recognized as one that had sunk. Mythra crossed out that Titan on each map. Rex passed the maps back to Mythra. “If you want I could probably plot a course to give us the best time from Titan to Titan. Actually, if you don’t mind helping me with the math it’d probably go faster.”

So Rex and Mythra set about plotting a path through the Cloud Sea between each Titan to get the best time based on their position circling the World Tree. They’d have to adjust after a while depending on weather conditions and how long they stayed at each Titan, but it wasn’t too hard to track the position of a Titan as long as you knew the time of year. 

In the end they determined that, best case scenario, to travel between all six Titans it would take about a month’s time, factoring in spending at least one day at each and Gramps needing to keep pace. When they were done Rex sat back and considered the situation. “Hmm, we might want to stop by Uraya for supplies. There’s no guarantee these places would have what we need.”

Mythra shrugged. “That’s fine. Like I said, I want to see Uraya at some point anyway. I never really got to enjoy the sights the last time I was there.”

“Alright, let’s rearrange it. While we’re here I can fish us some grub up to make it to this Titan,” he motioned to the closest. “Then from there we should probably take this route to Uraya just to be safe.” He traced his finger across the map.

“Okay. Seems like a plan to me.” It didn’t take too long to fix their planned route and redo the math. Hitting Uraya wouldn’t even make their trip that much longer. 

“At some point I’d like to stop by Argentum. After that craziness on the Maelstrom I doubt the rest of my pay is waiting, but I’ve got money in a secure vault that I need to get. Can’t leave Umon hanging forever. How about after we figure out where Spessia is?”

“Look at you, being responsible.”

\-------------------------

When the day wound to a close the whole group settled in around a campfire to relax. By comparison to the madness on Gormott the last few days had been like paradise. Rex knew that eventually they would have to deal with the Mor Ardain problem, but that wasn’t urgent. It felt nice not to be fighting for his life. Or running away from giant Gogols. For the second time.

They had been trading stories and catching each other up on some experiences prior to joining together. Rex and Mythra’s fight on the boat, the events that took place after their return to Gormott, meeting Tora and Poppi. Vess shared some of her adventurers from her days with Mabon. Mythra told them about a kid she had met who insisted he could cure his sick friend if he just caught the right kinds of bugs to make medicine out of.

After a while Vess fetched a pot and began to brew some tea over the fire. They had already grilled fish from Rex’s catch and had their dinner, so a nice cup of tea would be a pleasant cap to the evening. Vess passed out cups to everyone and then sat by the fire waiting on the teapot. 

Tora fiddled with his cup and sighed in an exaggerated fashion. “No no, Vess do it all wrong.”

“Tora, are you really criticizing someone who offered to make tea for you?” Mythra glowered at the Nopon while tossing her cup up and down in her hand. “Just say thank you. Unless you want punishment.”

He flinched and lowered his gaze from her. “No that not it. Tora not criticizing, not really. It just...if Vess do maidy job should do it in more maidy fashion.”

Vess appeared purely confused. “I’m not sure I understand what you mean. I don’t see making tea as exclusively a maid’s duty, but does the method really matter?”

Rex rubbed his temples. “Don’t bother Vess. Tora and Poppi have this weird image of what maids are like. Not sure Tora really knows what a maid is.”

“Meh!” Tora made an offended sound in the back of his throat. “Tora is only one here who truly understands maidiness! If Vess want to make tea, need to have more blushy-crushy.”

Mythra promptly beaned him in the head with her cup. He toppled backwards off his seat. “Not this nonsense again. Not a single word out of your mouth makes sense.”

Poppi helped her Masterpon right himself. “Masterpon not explain it right. Cannot convert nonbelievers if they not understand beauty of maidiness and blushy-crushy.”

Tora harrumphed and settled back into his seat. “Yes yes, Poppi right. Should have known Humans and Blades not properly understand maids. Rex-Rex already reveal his lacking in basic maidy knowledge.”

“I’m pretty sure you’re just making this stuff up as you go.” Rex folded his arms across his chest and stared at Tora, his eyes filled with amusement.

“With power of blushy-crushy and maidiness any woman become capable of great feats of strength and wooing any man. Is known fact. Perhaps Tora have Poppi teach Mythra and Vess?”

Vess rubbed her chin. “I’m not sure I believe you Tora. I’ve been alive for five decades and I’ve never seen anyone behave in a way that made me think they could woo any man.”

Mythra scoffed and stood from her seat. She wandered over towards Tora who cowered from her. She reached down and plucked her discarded cup off the ground. “Relax. I was just getting this back. I probably won’t need to hit you again. Probably.”

Poppi jumped up onto the stump that Tora was sitting on and planted her fists on her tiny hips and looked out proudly upon them. “Masterpon is right. With power of blushy-crushy any man would crumble at feet of Vess and Mythra. Even Rex.”

Vess and Mythra glanced over at Rex who proceeded to bury his face in his hands. “Please don’t involve me in this.”

Mythra flashed a smug smile and flipped her hair to the side with a casual motion of one hand. “Not like I’d need any help making men fall at my feet. If I wanted to.”

With her innocent voice Poppi said, “Even Rex?”

“Wha? That...that’s not what I meant! Don’t get the wrong idea.” Mythra looked away. Vess laughed slightly into her hand, only laughing louder when Mythra glared at her. 

Rex buried his face even further into his hands. “Nope, definitely not here.”

“Poppi could use Maidiest Mode and teach Mythra way to magnify love feelings inside heart! Poppi know special chant that greatly power up love energy. Or could use Rex-Focused Blushy-Crushy Maximization Mode for Mythra’s reference.”

“Keep talking and Tora will regret it.” Mythra hefted her cup threateningly.

Tora put his wings over his head and curled into ball. “It not Tora’s fault. Strive for perfection is important! Blushy-crushy is crucial aspect of life and Mythra lacking.”

Mythra’s hand clenched around the cup and her voice grew more menacing. “I’m lacking? Excuse me?”

The teapot began to whistle and Vess returned to the fire to fetch it. Into his hands Rex whispered, “Oh thank the Architect.”

\-------------------

Rex opened his eyes and found that he was laying in the tall green grass from that memory of Elysium. The bright blue sky was overhead, birds were singing a lovely song, and that bell was tolling away. Feeling a little unsteady he got to his feet and looked around. “Hang on, I didn’t die again did I?”

In the distance was the tree where he had first met Mythra. His memories from their encounter were simultaneously etched in his mind and a little fuzzy after his revival. All the emotions and core sensations were there, but details of the conversation seemed hazy. It felt like there was something important that kept slipping out of his grasp.

There was someone at the tree. His eyes wouldn’t quite focus on them though. It was as if his gaze slid away or looked through the person. Yet he still had the sense that the person there was familiar and yet at the same time a stranger. Slowly he approached. “Hello? Umm...hello?”

The person at the tree turned and…

Rex bolted upright from where he had been sleeping on the ground. Elysium was gone and he was back at the camp where he had gone to sleep. The moon and stars shone overhead and the others were still laid out asleep. Except...there was no sign of Mythra. 

He clambered onto his feet and quietly moved away from the camp, careful not to wake anyone. First he checked their moored ship, but no Mythra. So he began to make his way in a circle around the outer edge of the Titan’s body. 

Past the thickets of trees upon its back and out towards the front that sloped down towards the Titan’s ridged head. As he got closer he saw someone standing at the edge, looking out upon the Cloud Sea. Bathed in the moonlight Rex could clearly make them out. 

Long red hair tumbled down the woman’s back and her pale skin almost seemed to glow under the light of the Moon. As the wind shifted her hair Rex could see the cut and style of her dress. Colored primarily red and black it had points of emerald crystal upon it. That was the dress Mythra wore, but the white had become red. Even the hair was the same as Mythra’s save for its color.

“Mythra?” She didn’t respond. So he moved a little closer.

“Mythra? Is everything okay?” He asked again, a little louder this time. 

She turned and Rex breathed a sigh of relief. It was Mythra. She smiled softly at him as he approached. When he was nearly to her he saw that her golden eyes had also become a lovely shade of red. “I’m sorry Rex, I shouldn’t have disappeared like that. Did I make you worry?”

Rex found himself taken aback. Her voice was softer and quieter than normal with a sense of uncertainty to it. Even hearing her apologize felt strange. The way she spoke had changed like this before. “Uh, no, not too much. I just wanted to make sure everything was okay.”

Her warm smile nearly made his heart skip a beat. “You’re too kind. I just wanted to enjoy the stars for a while. Would you like to join me?”

Rex walked up to stand next to her and looked out. He had seen similar views before, but it was always beautiful. The Cloud Sea was dappled by the starlight, glittering and shifting with its ever changing shapes and currents. “I can see why you’d want to come out here. It really is gorgeous.”

“Isn’t it? I feel like I never get the opportunity to see the world. Going out and about like this, it’s a wonderful feeling.” She clasped her hands in front of herself and shifted slightly from foot to foot. Almost like a nervous tick. Even the way Mythra stood seemed different to Rex. Usually it was like she had a strong presence to her, but now it was like she was making her personal space as small as possible.

“Is that why you wanted to travel the world? To see the things that you didn’t get to before?” Rex had been wondering about that for a while. That probably wasn’t all, but after she had taken him up to that hidden overlook on Gormott he had begun to suspect that she really did just want to see the sights that Alrest had to offer.

“Well, a little bit. Obviously there’s a little more to it, but I won’t deny that there are places and things I want to see. I want to take in the beauty of the world. I want to see the places that are bathed in light.” She looked over and smiled that smile at him. Rex gulped and hoped the heat on his face wasn’t obvious in the moonlight.

“I’ll make sure you get to see everything the world has to offer. After all, I promised, didn’t I?” He gave her his best encouraging grin. People usually liked that.

“You did.”

They stood for a little while, simply enjoying the view. Finally Rex asked the question that had been on his mind. “So...your appearance...how come you changed it? Just trying out a different look? You did say that red was your favorite color. Kinda anyway.”

“I did say that didn’t I? Hmmm...do you like it?”

“Me? Uh...well it looks good on you. Course I’m not saying your usual look isn’t great. It is! I just meant…”, Mythra raised an eyebrow at him, the smallest of smiles turning up the corners of her lips. “I think I’m making a mess of this. I just mean...you’d be beautiful no matter what.”

Mythra looked surprised and Rex suddenly realized what he had said. “Uh, wait, hang on...I didn’t mean anything by it. Just, well you know...erg. I’m just gonna shut up now.” There. He had successfully made himself look like an idiot. Mission accomplished?

Her expression returned to normal and she flashed him a bright smile. “Well, I can’t say you’re wrong. Let’s just say that there are times when I feel like people would prefer me like this. Does that make sense?”

Rex rubbed the back of his head. “I’m not sure. I’ve never been much into fashion. I really only own two sets of clothes so I don’t know that I’m the best person to ask.”

“Right. Fashion.” She paused and looked up at the stars. “Rex, I’m sorry if sometimes I’m...coarse. I don’t try to be.”

“Coarse? I mean, you can be a little blunt, but I wouldn’t call you coarse. You’re just tough and forthright. You know what you want to say and you say it. I can respect that. Honestly the confidence you carry yourself with...I admire it.” 

“I see.” They lapsed into silence again. Finally after what seemed an eternity she tilted her head back down to look at him.

“Rex...would you like to take a walk with me? I’d like to talk to you about something.” 

“Huh? Oh, sure. I’d like that.” Following her lead they began to walk around the outer edge of the Titan. Rex stood on her right, between her and the tumble over the side. Gramps always said that was what you were supposed to do when walking with a girl. Put yourself between them and anything that might be dangerous. Not that Mythra couldn’t handle herself. Just that there were certain things he wanted to do for her.

“So uh, what did you want to talk about?” Rex felt his heart thumping a little faster in his head. Why was he so flustered? Was it that dream before he woke up? Mythra’s change of appearance? Tora and Poppi’s stupid blushy-crushy talk from earlier? A little bit of all of those?

“I wanted to answer your question from the other day. About...Siren. My Artifice.”

“Artifice? Is that some kind of sword?”

Mythra reached a hand out to the sky. “More like a special Blade weapon. Something unique to the Aegis. Siren awaits up there at my command. With Siren I can call down my strongest attacks. With Siren I’m capable of...so much.”

Rex could hear a moment of fear in her voice. Perhaps a touch of sorrow as well. Siren. Mythra’s Artifice. From what Mythra had said did that mean it was with Siren that she had done what Niall had said? “I think I get it.”

“When I think of using Siren’s powers again I...freeze. No, it’s more than that. It terrifies me. The things that I can do. That I have done. I...don’t want to wield that power again.” Her voice wavered as she spoke. For a moment her voice was back to how she usually sounded, but then it returned to the quieter and softer way of talking. All in the span of a single sentence.

“Hey, it’s okay. You don’t have to use that power if you don’t want to. But look...if you ever decide you need to in the future…”, he reached out and put a hand on her shoulder. They both stopped and she turned to look at him, her face etched with worry. “Just know that I trust you. However you use it or if you choose not to, I have faith that you’ll do it right. Okay?”

“Rex…”, her worries seemed to bleed away and she smiled at him. There were still traces of sadness in that smile, but it was closer to the look that had made his heart flutter earlier. “Thank you.”

Rex dropped his hand from her shoulder and turned away to look out upon the Cloud Sea. “Say Mythra...is it possible to lose the aptitude to become a Driver?” The words tumbled out. Worries that had been building up. 

Mythra came to stand next to him, shoulder to shoulder. “No, of course not. Once a Driver, always a Driver. Why?”

He squeezed his hands into fists and tried to control his voice. He didn’t want her to hear how shaky he felt, just talking about this. But she had been so open with him. “I keep thinking that when it comes time to resonant with Nia’s Core Crystal again...that she won’t accept me.”

“Rex…”

“It was my fault and my weakness that got me and her killed. Taking a stupid job, being overly eager...I wouldn’t blame her if she, you know, blamed me. I can’t get the image out of my head. My fingers touching the crystal and then...nothing. It’s stupid, I know, but…” Damn it, were those tears that were forming? Hadn’t he just been encouraging her and here he was, acting like a pathetic crybaby.

“Rex, what happened wasn’t your fault. It was Malos and Jin. I’m sure Nia will be thrilled to have you as her Driver again. Drivers don’t normally get a second chance. So you should cherish it.” She reached out and brushed one of the tears off his cheek with a fingertip. 

“Right. You’re right.” He reached up and gently patted his hands against his cheeks, like he was walking himself back up. “Look at us. We’re a pair, aren’t we?” He laughed a little, feeling more like himself. It was good to get that out in the open. The fears weren’t gone, but just having said them aloud...it was nice. Those fears would probably remain until Nia was there in front of him, alive again.

Rex let out a deep breath and steadied himself. “Should we head back to camp?”

Mythra shook her head slowly. “I want to be like this for a little while longer. Do you mind staying here?”

_‘Be like this? What’s that mean? Like...together or…’_

Rex felt a blush creeping onto his cheeks again. “Oh, course I don’t mind.”

Mythra lowered herself onto the ground and sat with her long legs dangling out over the edge. Rex mimicked her. She reached up and fiddled with her hair a little. “Do you think it would look better shorter? Or is it better long? What kind of hair do you like?”

Rex considered for a moment, his mind settling on a clear answer. “This isn’t a trap, is it?”

\-----------------

Mythra woke up with her face buried up against something warm. She yawned and blinked the sleepiness out of her eyes. She pulled her head back slightly and her breath caught in her throat. She had been nuzzled up against the back of Rex’s neck. She gulped and leapt to her feet, backpedaling away.

Rex was asleep on his side, facing out towards the Cloud Sea. She had been curled up behind him up against his back. Her mind raced, trying to sort through the events of the previous night to understand how she had gotten here. Had she been sleepwalking again? 

There was a distinct memory of going to bed by the campfire, but then everything was blurry. Like fuzzy thoughts just out of reach. Trying to grasp those memories was the same as trying to hold the clouds in your hand. Looking around there was no sign of the others. They were somewhere else on the island. It was definitely the same island based on the landscape.

She took a step forward, trying to decide if she should leave or wake Rex, and then the memories came back to her in a flood. Like she was watching from behind a curtain. Panic began to bubble up. 

Rex mumbled something and hoisted himself into a seated position. He blearily rubbed at his eyes for a few moments before noticing her. “Mythra? Did we fall asleep out here?”

“Apparently.” She shoved the panic down, trying not to think about it.

“Oh hey, you decide to stick with your usual look? It’s nice to see the usual Mythra too.” He smiled cheerily at her and Mythra felt her world tilt sideways. She could picture herself in her mind’s eye. The face that had often looked back at her from within the fire’s reflection. A face that was her, but yet not. 

“Sometimes women like to try something new. That’s just something you’ll have to learn Rex.” Had that sounded confident enough?

Rex yawned and stretched his arms over his head. “If you say so.”

He climbed up onto his feet, still moving sluggishly and his eyes only half open. “Man, I’m usually more of an early riser. I must have really needed that sleep. I feel super relaxed now. Like my whole body is lighter. What about you?”

Mythra looked away and brusquely said, “It’s just sleep.”

“Ha! I guess you’re right.” He rubbed at his eyes again, starting to look more awake. “Guess we should head back to camp. Don’t want the others to get worried.”

Before she realized it he had walked past her and towards the woods. From behind her she heard Rex call out. “Come on Mythra!”

“You go on ahead. I need to do something first.”

“Okay! Don’t dawdle too long or Tora will eat all your breakfast.”

Mythra looked over her shoulder and watched as Rex walked through the woods. She stayed still until he was out of sight and then she whirled and fired a blast of ether from her hand into the distant Cloud Sea. It bubbled and erupted, geysering into the air.

With a little bit of steam released she felt her shoulders relax. She really should go back and have breakfast with the others. Tora would be the type to try and eat more than his share if she lingered too long.

As she reached the tree line an image formed in her mind of herself chatting happily with the group as she cheerfully served up gorgeous freshly prepared snacks for everyone. It would be so easy. _‘Rex seemed to like you like that...wouldn’t everyone else?’_

Mythra stumbled and braced herself with a hand against a tree. The ether that formed her body shifted and roiled. Her hair, dangling down in front of her face as she was hunched over started to bleed to red at the fringes. Her fingers gripped tightly into the tree, cracking the bark as she tried to right herself. To correct the image in her mind.

_“It’s nice to see the usual Mythra too.”_

Rex’s words echoed in her head. The red color faded back to her normal blonde and she breathed out heavily as her ether mass returned to its regular state. 

A few careful looks and pats proved that her clothes hadn’t changed. The fire’s reflection had faded. For now. There were troubling things that lingered in her mind. Five centuries had passed in that memory of Elysium. The place inside of her. But those five hundred years hadn’t been spent alone. 

Mythra pushed herself away from the tree and grimaced at the sight of her handprint on the tree. It had been burned into place. Hastily she summoned her sword and hacked the burned section off before tossing it into the Cloud Sea. Then she dispelled the sword. 

Finally starting to feel confident again she pressed on through the trees towards their campsite. Breakfast sounded wonderful right now. 

When she arrived back at camp she noticed immediately that something strange was going on. Tora, Poppi, and Vess were all huddled around Rex who was standing stock still. None of them were talking. Their backs were to her so she couldn’t gauge if they were frightened or excited or anything else. 

“Hey, what’s up?”

The other three parted to make a path to Rex. Her Driver slowly turned around. Clutched gently in his hands, like a fragile flower, was a Core Crystal. Bursting with light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well this is something I've been waiting a while to introduce, but I've been peppering in hints for a while. Despite its relaxed nature you could think of this chapter as sort of a turning point.


	18. Reawakening

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Thanksgiving!

Rex’s hands trembled slightly as he held Nia’s Core Crystal in his hands. The crystal that had started to glow just before he returned to camp. The others had been waiting for him and had quickly pointed out the light emanating from his bag. They had moved away to give him room. Her core was ready. Bright with life.

Mythra stopped right in front of him and laid a hand atop the crystal. “It’s okay.”

Her confident words buoyed him and he felt the weight lift from his shoulders. Of course it was okay. It had to be. Nia would be coming back. Mythra moved to stand by his side and the others stepped back to give them room. 

Rex suddenly realized he had no idea how to resonate with a Core Crystal. It hadn’t been an intentional act on his part either time. Mythra’s hand touched his shoulder and she gave him a little nod. “Just be yourself and focus.”

“Right.” Rex encircled his hands around the Core Crystal, closed his eyes, and drew it towards his chest. 

_‘Please,’_ he thought. _‘Come back.’_

Energy surged through the crystal and light flashed from within his hands. When he opened his eyes he was greeted with a familiar scene. Nia’s sword clutched in his grip and Nia herself standing before him. She looked as she always had. That was Nia. She looked the same, so she was Nia, right? 

She blinked slowly and looked around at the group, her eyes resting on each of them in turn. There was a momentary pause for Poppi and Mythra, but finally her eyes met his. Rex couldn’t look away. He knew those eyes. Sometimes honest, sometimes teasing, but always full of life. Nia’s eyes. “Woah, this is a heck of a greeting right out of the gate.”

It was Nia’s voice. Down to the last detail. Rex couldn’t hold back the huge smile that split his face. He couldn’t look anywhere else except for right at her. Her eyes flicked momentarily to the x-shaped crystal on his chest, but then returned to his. “Guess you must be my new Driver. I’m Nia.”

His world tumbled and his stomach went sour. Of course. Of course she didn’t remember. He had known she wouldn’t. Anything else would have been a crazy miracle. That was just...the way it was with Blades. In that moment he couldn’t help but hate the system that took a Blade’s memories from them. She was Nia. But she wasn’t the Nia he had known. 

Rex kept the big goofy grin on his face and stretched out a hand. “I’m Rex! I’m excited to meet you.”

Nia returned his smile with a more reserved one and took his hand in hers, shaking it. “Well, Rex, this is quite the merry band. You lot traveling mercenaries or something?”

She let go of his hand and Rex let himself laugh a little. Of course that’s what they looked like. “Oh, nothing like that. Here, let me introduce you.”

He moved to stand beside her and motioned to each of the others in turn. “That’s Vess, she’s super nice and makes delish dumplings.”

Vess offered a slight bow to Nia. “A pleasure to meet you Nia.” Of course Vess knew how to handle meeting a newly Awakened Blade. 

Nia’s ears twitched in Vess’ direction in a manner Rex recognized. He was pretty sure it meant that all of her focus was there. “Hey. Dumplings you say? Well, can’t say that’s the first food that comes to mind when I think of yummy, but I’d love to try them.”

“I’d be delighted to make some for everyone once we get a few ingredients.” The two Blades shared a smile.

Rex pointed towards Tora and Poppi next. “That’s Tora, he’s a bit odd, but he’s a good guy. Don’t let the way he talks fool you. He’s real smart.”

“Bit odd? Mehmeh...Rex-Rex give better introduction for Vess. Not fair.” Tora seemed to deflate a little.

Poppi patted him on the head. “Masterpon don’t fret. Rex did call Masterpon smart. Poppi think Rex undersell Masterpon. Masterpon is genius, though common sense levels close to zero percent.”

“Mehmeh...Tora have mixed feelings.”

Nia turned a little bit to Rex with a look on her face that he recognized as saying ‘is this for real’. “Give ‘em a chance. I swear they’re great.”

“Right...well it’s nice to meet you Tora ya little genius.” She looked to Poppi next. “From what you said I guess that makes you Poppi? Are you a Blade?”

Poppi posed dramatically with one fist in the air. “Poppi is world’s first Artificial Blade, ultimate creation of Masterpon!”

“Get out? For real?” 

Rex let himself laugh again. “Yep, they aren’t kidding. Poppi isn’t just adorable, she’s super strong. Don’t let her talk your ears off about blushy-crushy though. Trust me.”

“Hang on...what’s blushy-crushy?”

Poppi opened her mouth to respond, but Mythra cut her off. “Yeah, best not to open that can of worms again. Rex probably shouldn’t have mentioned it.”

Now Nia looked to Mythra. One of her ears focused in on the blonde and the other was tilted towards Rex. “Say, you guys match. Can’t say I’ve ever heard of a green Core Crystal though. Then again, I guess Poppi’s is an odd color. You an Artificial Blade too?”

“Me? No way.”

Rex stepped into the middle of the group and looked back and forth between the two women. “Nia, this is Mythra. She’s also my Blade. I’m so glad to have you both here.”

Nia slowly walked past Rex and stood in front of Mythra, looking up at her. Mythra returned the straightforward stare. “Sheesh, looks like my new Driver is the lucky type.”

“How do you figure that?”, asked Mythra. 

Nia grinned cheekily up at Mythra. “I mean, have you seen us?”

Mythra returned that grin with her classic cocky smirk. “Well, I can’t deny that. Nia...I think you and I will get along just fine. It’ll be good to have someone else around to help keep Rex out of trouble.”

“Hang on...keep me out of trouble? That’s not fair is it?” Everyone stared at him in silence for several seconds. Then one by one they burst out laughing. 

Rex grumbled and folded his arms across his chest, pouting a little. “Titan’s foot, I’m getting bullied already.”

When everyone had stopped making fun of him Rex gestured to the fire. “So, Nia, we were about to make breakfast. Would you like something to eat?”

“Oh absolutely. What have we got?”

Vess plucked one of the fish that had been staked into the ground, leftover from Rex’s catch the other day and stored in ice in the boat. “There isn’t a lot of variety, but we were about to grill up some fish.”

“Can’t say I’m a big fish person, but I won’t turn my nose up at free food.”

Vess smiled brightly at Nia. Rex wondered what Vess herself was thinking right now. “Well,” said the electric Blade. “Since you’re just joining us, would you care for the first pick?”

\--------------------

Everyone sat back satisfied from their meal. It had been nice to just relax and talk for a bit over food. Mythra felt like Nia was taking to everyone well so far. It had to be an unusual experience, being Awakened surrounded by a group like theirs. Her own Awakening had been strange as well. In a different way.

When they had all finished up, Nia stood and stretched. Mythra had noticed how frequently Rex was watching her. Hopefully he wouldn’t overdo it. There was a look in his eyes like he expected Nia to vanish at any moment. Mythra supposed she couldn’t blame him.

“So,” Nia said, looking around. “I’ve been meaning to ask. What are we doing out here? Seems like we’re in the middle of nowhere.”

“Waiting for my Gramps. He’s meeting us here, probably in just a few days.” Rex got up and collected everyone’s skewers and set about cleaning them with the bucket of water they had filtered using the ship’s equipment. 

“That so? What then? Just sort of touring the world or something?” 

Mythra realized they hadn’t discussed how to explain this to Nia. Well, there was no reason to be anything other than truthful. Mostly. “Right now we’re trying to find a country that used to be called Spessia, but after that our goal is Elysium.”

Rex flashed Nia a big grin and proudly thumped a fist against his chest. “That’s right! We’re going to head to the top of the World Tree and find Elysium!”

Nia gawked at them and then burst out laughing. Her loud guffaws carried and were so powerful she bent halfway over, clutching her stomach. _‘Guess I should have expected that.’_

After a solid minute Nia recovered and wiped tears from her eyes. “Seriously? That’s kids stuff! It’s all just fairy tales. Lies parents tell their kids to make them be good. You can’t really believe in the Architect and Elysium...can you?”

To his credit Rex didn’t seem bothered in the slightest. “I know most people don’t believe, but I’ve seen it. And Mythra was born there.”

Mythra confirmed Rex’s assertion when Nia looked to her for validation. “At this point Elysium is only something from my memories, but I know for a fact it’s there. I am the Aegis, a Blade born from the Architect’s own will.”

Vess came up from behind Nia and stood by her side. “I know it seems strange dear, but Rex and Mythra are honest people. There have been legends of the Aegis for five hundred years since she first Awakened.”

Poppi hopped up onto the log she and Tora were sitting on, accidentally dislodging her Masterpon in the process. “Mythra mega strong! Rex believe in Elysium, so Poppi will believe in Elysium too.”

Tora scrambled back up onto his seat, huffing as he went. “That right! Tora grow up hearing tales of Holy Blade Aegis. Dadapon and Grampypon say Aegis ultimate of ultimates among Blades.”

Nia held up her hands defensively. “Alright, alright, I get it. Everyone believes. Guess I’ll just have to see it for myself. Still...Elysium...what for? Treasure? Bringing Mythra home?”

Rex, bless his heart, was in full Rex mode. His eyes fixated upon the distant World Tree. “I’ve wanted to find Elysium for a long time. I had always assumed that up there I could find a place or a method to make everyone on Alrest safe and happy. Either to stop the Titans from dying out or find a new place for us to live.”

“Thanks to Mythra I saw what Elysium looks like. Instead of an endless sea of white it was a sea of green. Open space and green grass as far as the eye could see. There was even a prosperous city in the distance. There’s enough land there for everyone on Alrest to live. If we can make it there’ll be no more need for wars or fighting.”

Nia seemed to consider Rex very seriously. “You...mean all of that don’t you.”

“Course I do.”

“Well Rex, as your Blade I think it’s my place to say that your plan sounds a little naive, but...I can’t say I dislike that kind of attitude. Dream big, right?”

“Right!”

“There are a few other things you should know Nia.” Mythra braced herself before continuing. “Some challenges that face us. It won’t be easy. There are some powerful enemies stretched out ahead of us.”

“I get it. So you wanted another Blade to fight at your side.”

Vehemently Rex declared, “No way! That’s not it at all. I’d never awaken a Blade just for the sake of fighting.”

His voice was so strong and sure in that moment that Mythra believed him. Rex really…

Nia planted a hand on her hip and gave Rex a curious stare. “Yeah? So if not that then why’d you resonate with me?”

“I…”, Rex seemed to struggle for a moment. Mythra thought that he was debating what to say. Like something was on the tip of his lips, but he couldn’t quite get it out. “It’s hard to explain.”

“Rex…”, Mythra started to speak up, but Rex shook his head slightly and she stopped. It was his place to say or not say whatever he was thinking.

“You can say it’s crazy or stupid, but I just wanted to meet you. Is that weird?”

“You...wanted to meet me? I don’t get it at all, but…”, Nia looked away from Rex and out at the World Tree. Or maybe just at the Cloud Sea. “I don’t mind that kind of weird. I’m just...happy to be alive I guess.”

Mythra was glad that Nia wasn’t looking right at Rex at that moment. If she had been, she might have seen something within Rex crumble, his face scrunching up as he pushed back whatever emotions he was feeling. It was gone as fast as it had come and he was his normal smiling self. He was putting on a brave face.

\----------------

The day was filled with more relaxation and conversation. Everyone took turns filling Nia in on their adventures and the adversity laid out against them. She seemed more exasperated than upset to find out that their group was wanted by Mor Ardain. Even the knowledge that there was a second Aegis after their heads just made her annoyed rather than angry. It was likely that had she experienced the threat those forces represented she wouldn’t be so nonchalant about the situation. 

Eventually they set about undertaking some additional activities. Vess resumed her instruction of Tora and Poppi, with Nia mostly observing. She offered a few critiques of her own, but spent her time primarily offering a few snarky comments here and there. Oddly that seemed to help motivate Tora. 

At one point Rex idly asked Nia her favorite color. Nia had responded with curiosity. “My favorite color? That’s an odd question. Why’d you want to know?”

Mythra butted in from where she had been watching the training, leaned up against a tree. “He asked me the same thing not too long after I met him.”

Poppi deflected Vess’ Bitball with her shield and then raised a hand like asking to be called upon. “Rex ask Poppi as well!”

Rex simply shrugged, looking embarrassed. “Guess it’s just a habit when meeting new people.”

“Meh? Rex-Rex never ask Tora’s favorite color!” Poppi passed him the shield just barely in time to block the Bitball’s next attack. He stumbled backwards, having taken the attack at the top of the shield rather than the center. 

“After Poppi’s response I was a little scared to ask.” Yeah, Mythra could see why he might feel that way.

Tora started to protest, but was stopped when Vess walked over to correct his grip on the shield, giving him advice for tracking the trajectory of a projectile. 

Nia seemed amused by how awkwardly Tora was adapting to Vess’ instructions. “My favorite color...never really thought about it. Purple, I guess? Like a nice dark purple.”

Rex hesitated for a second. Barely noticeable, but it was there. “Purple...I wouldn’t have figured that. 

\---------------------

Halfway through the day Mythra found herself standing by the edge of the Titan, Nia right next to her. Rex and Vess had gone out into the woods to search for more ingredients while Tora was busy working on Poppi while on the ship. Mythra was pretty sure the little furball had just wanted an excuse to get out of the sun.

Nia had offered to catch some more fish for them and Mythra had stuck around to help carry the haul. They were going to salt and store the fish on the boat for later. It turned out Nia’s method of fishing was a lot simpler than Rex’s. Instead of spearing them she simply gathered them up in little water bubbles and deposited them on shore. It was Mythra’s job to wrangle the slippery little things and get them into her bucket. At least they’d be tasty after they were dead.

“Say Mythra, there was something I wanted to talk to you about while everyone else was gone.” Nia didn’t look away from her task even though it didn’t seem to require her full concentration. Mostly she dredged the clouds for fish and then separated out any that were too small, keeping only the bigger ones. 

“Sure. Go for it.” Mythra wasn’t sure what to expect. Half a day wasn’t long enough to get the measure of a person after all.

“It’s...about Rex. Or, mostly I guess.” Mythra stood a little straighter. Now she really didn’t know what to think was coming next.

“I can’t promise I can tell you everything you’d want to know, but I’ll answer what I can.” That was neutral enough, right?

“This whole day there have been things Rex has said and done that made me start to think...about my last Driver.” Mythra gulped. Surely there was no way Nia could have guessed.

“He keeps trying to hide it, but there are little moments where he seems disappointed or sad when I answer a certain way. Or he makes a reference like he expects me to get it. And then there was his face when he first saw me. That wasn’t the face of someone seeing a new Blade for the first time. He seemed so...relieved. And happy.”

“Nia…”

“He said he was happy to meet me. I believe him, I don’t think that was a lie, but the way he said it...I don’t think that was all of it. Mythra, you don’t have to tell me, but...did Rex know me before this?”

Nia tossed another fish onto the shore and Mythra set to getting it into the bucket. While Mythra tried to think through her response, Nia kept talking. “I think he had to have. Blades get passed between Drivers when one passes after all. Happens all the time. So I figure...my last Driver must have been someone close to Rex. Someone important to him. A friend or family member.”

“I don’t think Rex has any blood family. From the way he talks even his Grampa doesn’t sound like they’re related. Family by choice or chance maybe.” 

“That so? Still...do you know? You’re his Blade so I thought maybe you’d have the answers.”

Mythra shoved the last fish deep into the bucket and pulled her hands out. “I...do. But the answer you’re looking for is complicated. And it’s painful for Rex. I don’t think it’s my place to answer those questions.”

Nia brushed her still clean gloves together as if wiping something away. It wasn’t as if she had even touched any of the fish. Mythra reformed her own gloves to get rid of the icky feeling that clung to them. “Thanks Mythra. For your honesty. I guess I’ll have to think long and hard about whether I do want those answers. If it’s painful for him...I’m not sure there’s a benefit to knowing. Can’t say I’m terribly interested in the past me.”

“Whatever you decide, Rex will be truthful with you. And no matter what reason you think it is, just know that Rex is truly happy to have you here.”

“What about you Mythra? Are you happy to have me here?” Nia was completely deadpan when she asked that. Mythra peered into the other woman’s eyes, looking for some sign of Nia’s true intentions.

“I’m just happy to keep the girls outnumbering the guys on this trip. We don’t need anymore testosterone mucking things up.”

“Well you’re not wrong there. Still, it’s not so bad to have a pair of guys around. Even if one of them’s a weird little Nopon.”

\-----------------

Rex awakened in the dream of Elysium again. Without hesitating he made his way toward the tree. That elusive figure from the previous time was still there, but this time they were easier to make out. Still, it was almost like there was a fog over his eyes whenever he tried to focus on them. If he just got a little closer he would know who it was.

He snapped out of the dream covered in a thin layer of sweat. Rex got up from where he had been sleeping and headed out into the woods towards the Titan’s opposite side. A little time away from the others would do him good. The crisp air might help as well. 

When he arrived he seated himself with his legs over the edge. There were more clouds in the sky than the previous night so the Cloud Sea didn’t have the same kind of beauty, but it was still mysterious and ever changing. The Cloud Sea had always fascinated him. Had the sea always been there or had it simply appeared one day? How many Titans had sunk to its depths over thousands of years to deposit so much salvage at the seabed?

And why did seeing Nia hurt just as much as it made him happy?

“Rex? Are you okay?” Rex looked over his shoulder and found Mythra approaching. Like the night before she wore her dress in that altered red color along with her hair and eyes. Even her tone was the same. Was it just a late sleepless night that made her want to change things up?

“I guess. Maybe. No.” Mythra sat down next to him and scooted close. 

“You can tell me about it. If you’d like.” 

Mythra had been open with him. Confessed something that was difficult for her to talk about. He had told her his worries about the resonance so what would be so bad about telling her now?

Rex gripped his knees tightly to settle himself. “I knew. I knew she wouldn’t remember, but it still hurts.”

“I feel so damned selfish. I should just be bloody grateful that she’s back. Drivers don’t get a second chance at this sort of thing. Nobody does...so why can’t I just be happy?” But he wasn’t. Not entirely.

“When she talks and when I look at her she’s Nia, but sometimes she says something a little different, something that the Nia I knew would have said differently or not at all. And when that happens I just...struggle. Even though I knew that the Nia I knew was gone having someone who’s almost the same person right there in front of me...I don’t know how to deal with it.”

He realized suddenly that his eyes were burning with barely held back tears. Jeez, he must look so pathetic right now. 

“Rex, there’s no easy answer to the things you’re feeling right now. They’re complicated, but that’s what it’s like to be alive. To experience the pain of loss. I can’t say I can completely understand how you’re feeling. Seeing people like Jin and Aegaeon again, Awakened once more...it’s not the same for me. We weren’t close the way you and Nia were.” 

Rex turned his head to look at her. Her red hair covered one half of her face, but the warm sincerity he saw there lifted his spirits. “Do you...think it’ll fade?”

“I don’t know. Memories can be painful. But the fact that you have the opportunity to make new ones, that’s not a bad thing. I think. Make new memories and the painful ones won’t have as much room.”

Rex let out a rueful chuckle. “I must be a real pathetic sight, blubbering like an idiot.”

“No Rex. You should never think of your pain and sorrow like that. It’s not pathetic. You’re not pathetic.” 

\----------------------

Mythra snuggled closer to her warm pillow. She was slowly waking up and already feeling refreshed. She reached up and brushed the hair from her eyes and stretched a little. A part of her said it was time to get up and get some breakfast, but another part demanded that she go back to sleep and just enjoy her comfy blue pillow.

_‘Blue...pillow?’_ Did she have a blue pillow?

Understanding hit her almost as hard as Malos ever had. She pulled her head away and scuttled backwards on her hands and knees. She had been sleeping cuddled up against Rex, her head resting on his chest. _‘Are you kidding me? Again?’_

Her face felt fiery and hot. Frantically she pulled her hair in front of her to make sure. It was blonde. Thank goodness. Slowly her memories of the previous night returned. A heartfelt conversation with Rex, a talk about their journey, and eventually they had drifted off to sleep. 

“I’m so stupid…”

Briefly she considered just heading back to camp without him, but realized that wouldn’t cut it. As a matter of fact, now that she thought about it, none of the others had bothered her about being gone that previous morning. Had they just been too distracted by Nia’s return? What would they say this time? Would they let it be?

Jin, Aegaeon, and Lora wouldn’t have said anything. Addam would have lightly scolded her for being away from the rest of the group. Brighid probably would have said something too knowing in a smug way that’d make Mythra want to slap her. Haze would have wanted to know all the details. Like there were actually details to tell.

Grumbling she moved forward, still on her hands and knees, until she was right next to Rex. Then she poked him in the cheek. “Hey, wake up. Rex. Wake up.”

Rex’s eyes fluttered open and he looked to her with confusion in his eyes. “Mythra? What’s going on?”

“We fell asleep out here. We should get back to camp. And try to do it quietly, okay?”

“Huh? Oh, so we don’t wake anyone up, right?”

“Seriously? That’s what you think the problem is?” 

Mythra started to stand and grabbed his arm, tugging him to his feet along with her. “Come on already. Let’s get going.”

When they arrived from the looks of their camp it didn’t seem as if anyone else was awake. Mythra breathed a sigh of relief and started to slink in. Rex still seemed confused, but he followed suit. That was until…

“G’morning.” Mythra barely bit back a yelp of surprise. There, in a tree branch just above them was Nia. The other Blade let herself slide backwards and then used her legs to keep herself in place. She remained hanging upside down, but was now facing them.

Rex smiled brightly at seeing her. “Nia! Did you sleep well? We’re not waking anyone up, are we?”

“Slept pretty well. Been awake for a bit though. I’m the only one so you’re safe to proceed.” She grinned cheekily at them. Especially at Mythra. Too cheekily for Mythra’s tastes.

“Safe to proceed?”, asked Rex. “You mean like...not waking them up?”

Mythra silently thanked her Driver’s genuine obliviousness. If he acted like that then maybe nobody would give them a hard time. Nia snickered in response. “Sure, why not. Hey, before you go on, could I ask you a question Mythra? You can go ahead though Rex.”

Rex shrugged and moved on. Mythra tapped her foot impatiently. Once Rex was a little further away Nia turned her full attention to Mythra. Then her mouth widened into a huge grin. Of the kind that Mythra really didn’t like. “So, how was it?”

Mythra glowered at the other Blade and raised a hand that glowed with the light of her ether. “I’ll burn you.”

“I kid I kid. Sheesh. Besides, Rex either has the best Poker face ever or nothing happened.” Nia released herself from the tree branch and flipped in mid-air, turning half-way so that she gracefully landed facing Mythra. “Blade to Blade, with the same Driver, just know you’ve got my full support.”

“Yeah, I’m ignoring you now.” Mythra brushed past Nia, trying to push down the embarrassment. Why did these sort of things always happen to her?

“No really, I’m on board. I’ll help you write sappy love letters and everything! I promise.” Nia followed after Mythra and wrapped her arms around the taller woman’s. “Come on, don’t be so stingy. Details! Tell me, was it love at first sight? Did he lasso the Moon for you?”

Mythra could feel her left eye starting to twitch. This was not how she had wanted the day to start. “Have I mentioned that I’m the most powerful Blade in the world and that I’m capable of sinking Titans?”

“And? That means I can’t give you a hard time?”

“Great. You’re Haze and Brighid rolled into one neat package. Wonderful.” It was annoying. It was frustrating. It was embarrassing. 

And it made her a little happy.

\-------------------------

Less than an hour later the group was getting ready to tuck into breakfast when suddenly Poppi lifted her head and turned to peer out into the distant reaches of the Cloud Sea. “Poppi’s long range sensors detect incoming object.”

The rest of them stopped and looked in the same direction, but saw no sign of it. Rex walked over to Poppi and put a hand over his eyes to shield them from the sun. “Could it be Gramps?”

“Unknown. Based on object’s size and speed it is likely to be some manner of speed boat.”

“Definitely not Gramps then. What does everyone think?”

“Could it just be someone else familiar with this old Titan?”, asked Vess.

“Tora think it bully soldiers.”

Mythra materialized her sword and planted it in the ground. “I doubt it’s Mor Ardain. There’s no way they’d know we were here. It can’t be Malos either. That black ship of theirs was a submersible. Poppi, could you detect a ship deep underwater?”

“Very unlikely. If close to surface Poppi could.”

Nia’s ears twitched as she strained to make out any distant sounds. “You guys have got a few too many enemies. Should we be prepared for a fight just in case?” Following Mythra’s example she made her sword appear in her hand at the ready.

Slowly Rex nodded. “That’s probably a good idea. I don’t think we can count on having good luck. Seems like everywhere we go there’s someone after us.”

Now they could just barely make out the ship. It was moving fast, kicking up a wake as it sped towards them. Rex estimated that it was a little smaller than the boat he had bought from Umon, but from its profile it lacked sleeping accommodations. Something meant to be light and fast. Poppi’s assessment of it as a speed boat was probably right.

When the ship was still a fair distance away it slowed and came to a halt. Its angle of approach did make it clear that it was coming toward the Titan. Not that there was anything else in the area. 

Something jumped from the boat, or several somethings, and then the clouds parted as those individuals came jetting towards them just above the water’s surface. Rex had never seen anything like it. “What the hell?”

Nia tossed her sword to him and he caught it out of the air as their affinity blazed to life. The sword felt right in his hand. “There’s at least two water element Blades coming. They’re manipulating the water tension to propel themselves towards us,” she said.

“Poppi detect eight ether signatures like wave in air.” Tora prepared his drill shield, but looked decidedly nervous. Vess summoned her Bitball and it began to crackle with electricity. 

Rex slung Nia’s sword up so that it rested on his shoulder. “They’re probably hostile, but since we don’t know for sure we shouldn’t make the first move. But be careful.”

The incoming Blades arrived and were hurled upward by a spray of water, launching high into the air. They come down with practiced tumbles, rolling to their feet a half dozen meters away. Eight Blades, like Poppi’s sensors had detected. Four Unique and four Common. With weapons drawn.

One of the Unique Blades planted a Megalance butt end down onto the ground. She had bright blue hair, tan skin, and armor of white and blue. Oddly what appeared to be fish fins flared out behind her from several points on her armor. Her right eye was covered by a purple eye patch with an x-shaped mark on it. “If you surrender I promise we’ll make this as painless as possible.”

A shorter paler Blade stood at her side, one hand gripping the hilt of the Chroma Katana at her side. She had a similar color scheme to the first, including her hair, but there were horns or spikes extending from various spots on her clothes. Including one that jutted out from the eyepatch over her left eye. Oddly both women had Core Crystals in identical v-shapes. “So, which one of you is the vaunted light element Blade?”

Behind them the Common Blades started to spread out. One of the burly types with an Ether Cannon, a slender female with a huge Greataxe, a beast Blade with Twin Rings, and a tall male with horned ears with a Shieldhammer. 

One of the remaining two Unique Blades was a muscular man who appeared mostly Human, but the bottom half of his face looked like it was made of char. His body appeared to have been formed from cooled magma and he summoned a bright red Greataxe into his hand. “To be honest I’d rather you people didn’t surrender.”

The last one had black and gold mechanical armor with golden serrated blades attached to the sides of his arms. His golden gauntlets ended in razor sharp looking claws. The worst part was his face. It was like a mask of white metal with a pointed chin, six golden bolts driven into the middle of the face, with deep set holes in the mask that revealed two pairs of red eyes, one pair in each opening. Its mouth was open, but had golden bars stretching from top to bottom all across it, giving the mouth the appearance of having been nearly sewn together. 

In a sneering masculine voice it shouted, “If you’ve got any last words, now’s the time!”

Rex didn’t need to look back over his shoulder to know that everyone was prepared for battle. He took Nia’s sword off his shoulder and pointed it at the lead two Blades. “I don’t think we’ll be surrendering. You guys should turn and run. I don’t want to hurt you.”

The taller of the blue haired Blades took up her Megalance and slipped into a fighting stance. “You heard me Theory. I gave them a chance.”

The short one drew her Chroma Katana. Her voice was pure no nonsense. “Understood Praxis. Shall we give the order?”

“You’d better believe it. Everyone...kill the Drivers! Don’t lose the Core Crystals, they’ll make us a pretty penny!” The rest of them bellowed out an affirmative response.

Mythra hefted her sword which burst to life with its roaring energy. “Core Crystal hunters? That’s a lot more mundane than I was expecting.”

The Blade with the clawed gauntlets launched forward towards Rex, thrusting one of his hands out towards Rex’s chest. Rex swiped at the Blade’s outstretched hand, which was pulled back out of the way. He skidded to a halt and swung his other arm in an arc, three glowing red blades forming just above his wrist. Rex deflected that blow and felt his arms wring from the strain. This Blade had some brutal strength.

Suddenly the Blade ducked, revealing the Greataxe wielding Unique Blade charging in. The second Blade made a huge horizontal swing that would have cut the first one in half had he not known it was coming. Nia tugged Rex backwards with a lasso of water, allowing him to barely avoid the swipe of that axe. It left a red afterimage in that air that seemed to smolder.

The claw using Blade chuckled as he rolled to the side and back onto his feet. “We almost had him Byron. If it weren’t for the little bint…”

“Bint am I?” Orbs of glowing water began to form in the air around Nia. “Rex, let’s kick this guy’s arse.”

“Was already planning on it!” Rex repositioned himself and tried to keep an eye on both Blades. This wasn’t the first time he had faced two skilled opponents before, but he wasn’t using Mythra’s Foresight this time. He would have to be extremely careful. Everyone else was already starting to engage in battle so he’d have to handle these two without Mythra’s help.

“Byron, springboard!” Byron spun and angled his Greataxe close to the ground. Praxis jumped forward, planted her feet on it, and allowed the other Blade to hurl her straight at Rex. Her Megalance became coated in a vortex of water as she jabbed it straight at Rex’s head. 

_‘Oh come on, three on two?’_

Rex dashed to the side to get out of her way, but she turned her thrust into a wide sweep. He ducked and rolled, but had to stop short when Byron sent a line of fire hurling towards him with a vertical swing of his axe. Nia fired her water orbs in rapid succession, forcing the clawed Blade to dodge from his to side to avoid them. One of them he slashed apart in midair and then summoned red energy blades from his other hand.

Vess bounced her Bitball up off of her knee and into the edge of the Common Blade’s Greataxe, knocking it off course enough that it didn’t strike Vess herself. She raised her hands and fired a jolt of lightning at the Blade, which was blocked by a fairly fragile ether barrier that cracked immediately. The Blade’s Greataxe surged with ether and spikes of rock formed in midair. With a swing of the Greataxe those rock spears went hurtling at Vess’ face and chest. 

She barely managed to raise a shield in time to save herself. It had been a long time since she had faced a foe this skilled and this time it was without her Driver. Still, she had decades of experience. There were ways for a ranged attacker to handle someone who specialized in close quarters like a Greataxe user. 

Subtly she extended a line through the ether to grab her Bitball that was still spiraling up into the air. Then she tugged it down so it came hurtling towards her foe from above. The Blade’s barrier shattered, but the slight delay allowed her to leap to the side. Vess’ Bitball impacted the ground and sent out crackles of electricity, mildly shocking her enemy.

Tora and Poppi were struggling to advance. Everytime they tried to move forward they were peppered by a barrage of water ether bullets from the big Common Blade’s Ether Cannon. Tora had been slowly getting used to handling ranged attacks thanks to Vess, but the frequency and intensity was different from a mere training session.

“Poppi, we must close distance!” He held the Drill Shield out in front of himself, covering most of his body, and started to charge. A large ether blast struck the shield dead center and nearly knocked his weapon out of his hands. 

“Roger Masterpon! Believe in Poppi!” His Blade activated her Poppi Boosters and hurtled into the air. The Common Blade turned his Ether Cannon up to open fire on her, forcing her into evasive aerial maneuvers. Tora felt a surge of worry rush through him, but had no choice but to take advantage of the opportunity. He extended the drill and barrelled forwards once more. 

When the enemy Blade saw this he swiveled his weapon down and fired at Tora, stopping the Nopon. However, that let Poppi jet close to him. Tora began to feel his confidence grow. It was slow going, but at this rate they would close in on their foe.

Mythra fought her three opponents with graceful ease. The beast Blade would launch blasts of electric ether from his mouth into one of its Twin Rings, accelerating the attack towards Mythra, but she either dodged or dispersed it with a bolt of her light ether. When it had the opportunity the beast Blade would lunge in and swipe at her legs or midsection with one of its Twin Rings held in its mouth. 

Her main concern was the slim ice element Blade with the Chroma Katana. Although Mythra found the woman’s eyepatch ridiculous there was no questioning the skill and power at play. Theory’s katana lashed out with incredible speed and precision and she expertly mixed in stabs with a summoned icicle in her other hand or rained similar ice spears down at Mythra from above. 

When Mythra tried to counterattack with her larger and more dangerous weapon, the male Blade would step in to block the blow with his heavy Shieldhammer. Mythra was unsurprised when she realized the Blade was using an advanced wind ether technique to speed his movement. By summoning a blast of wind from behind his body or his limbs he could suddenly change the acceleration of his attacks or blocks, making their timing harder to predict. 

Despite the skill of the three, they weren’t making any progress. Even when she wasn’t using Foresight it wasn’t difficult to fend off normal Blades with a combination of her overwhelming reserves of power, an ether shield backed by her essentially limitless supply of ether, and her own raw skill and strength. Still, she had to give them a credit. She wasn’t making anymore headway than they were. 

The only real problem was another fight. Hopefully her enemies wouldn’t realize or understand what was going on. There was a small cut just under her left eye, and her left arm had a mild burn on it. She hadn’t been touched yet. Her Driver on the other hand...

Rex was certain he was outmatched. He knew how to utilize Nia’s abilities already so fighting with her at his side was as easy as it had ever been, but these three were incredibly strong. They also worked together with absurd precision. The only “weak link” was the clawed Blade, who didn’t seem to be quite as in-sync with the other two as they were with each other. It didn’t make much difference though.

There was only so much he could do to avoid or deflect attacks from three skilled opponents. He was being pushed back. Even with Nia aiding with well timed water barriers or her own ether shield it was difficult to fend off these three. 

The heattrails left behind by Byron’s Greataxe weren’t for show either. Rex had quickly found out when one of his arms passed through it and he was singed by the heat. Those trails didn’t last long, but it was another thing he had to be careful about. He had also barely managed to avoid having his head taken off in that moment of surprise, narrowly avoiding a slash from those red energy claws that left a small cut under his left eye.

Their leader, Praxis, was just as much of a problem. The range of her Megalance and the speed at which she utilized it allowed her to pressure him backwards. Both the Megalance and Greataxe were mid-ranged weapons so if he could get close he might be able to do some damage, but they were doing a perfect job together keeping him at bay. That allowed the claw user to dash in and out for quick attacks. 

The Blade with the Ether Cannon had retreated into the woods, making it much harder for Poppi to advance, but similarly difficult for him to properly aim at her. Despite his size he was darting swiftly around and behind trees, then popping out to snipe shots at Poppi and Tora. Still, they were closer now than they had been before. 

An idea struck Tora. A perfect new costume for Poppi! But no, not the time for that. A second, less interesting, but more immediately useful thought came to him. “Poppi, land behind Tora!”

Poppi angled her boots so she could fly back towards her Masterpon and landed with a heavy thud on the ground behind him. “Masterpon, Poppi have seventy-eight seconds of fuel reserves still available. Not need to recall Poppi.”

“No, that not it. Poppi have ultimate strength empowered by maidiness! Tora will guard Poppi and Poppi will hit big Blade with club!” To punctuate his orders he jumped to the side to cover her with the Drill Shield, stopping a piercing burst of water ether in its tracks. 

“Masterpon? Poppi not have club! Masterpon not install any such weapon.” She sounded almost disappointed in him. Or ashamed? Tora would have to think about that later.

“Poppi surrounded by clubs! Clubs only Poppi can use!”

Poppi looked around, trying to spot the weapons her Masterpon was talking about. And find them she did. “Poppi understand! Poppi could lift Gonzalez if necessary and these...these much lighter than Gonzalez!”

With her Masterpon defending her Poppi stretched her arms out to embrace the closest tree. Her feet clamped down into the earth to brace herself as she squeezed and then lifted. Deeply embedded roots resisted, but her raw strength won out as the tree was ripped up and out of the ground. 

She pivoted and swung the tree down like a club at their enemy, smashing tree limbs in the process. That barely missed so she heaved it sideways, cracking up against other trees and knocking several down. Her own new club snapped in half, so she hurled her remaining half at the Blade. Then she went to grab another club. There were so many to use.

Vess had managed to gain a little distance from her opponent and was engaged in a long range battle of attacks. Her foe had an elemental advantage on her, but her tight control over the movements of her Bitball let her weave it in and out, smashing the rock spears the other woman tried to use to pierce her body. While that was happening she would sneak in crackling bolts of lightning that were either blocked with the Greataxe or dodged. However, even attacks that hit the Greataxe still transferred residual amounts of electric ether into her enemy.

It wasn’t much damage, but it was something. On her side she had taken a hurled rock in the shoulder, which was now badly bruised and starting to purple. It wasn’t broken, but it had almost felt like it. Still, she felt like she was starting to shake more and more of the rust off. She could do this.

A cut opened up on Mythra’s right arm, just a little above her elbow. She hid a wince of pain and smashed aside an attack from the Shieldhammer, then parried three quick slashes from Theory’s katana. She coated her left hand in ether and caught an attack with the beast Blade’s Twin Rings and then used its toothy grip to swing the Blade into the other two, knocking them to the side. 

“I’m getting real sick of this! Rex!”

“Little busy!” Called her Driver.

“This bunch definitely wants us dead. They’re not soldiers being forced to chase us or capture us because of politics!” She took advantage of her three opponent’s momentary distraction and went on the offensive with a series of lightning fast flurries with her sword, launching multiple ether blasts at them in the process. All three worked together to form a triple layered ether barrier to fend off her attacks.

“Yeah, so?” Rex bobbed his head to the left, avoiding the point of Praxis’ lance and Nia used a slashing attack formed of water to stop Byron’s follow up swing in its tracks. Unfortunately, the clawed Blade managed to jump in close and landed a glancing attack that cut Rex’s left thigh. Not serious damage, but the little bits were adding up. Rex stabbed at the Blade’s hideous mask with Nia’s sword and the man ducked and tumbled backwards to get to safety.

“So that means we don’t have to hold back! We’re not trying to avoid hurting them, right?” 

“Well I’m fighting for my life here so...I definitely wasn’t holding back!” 

Mythra stopped her attacks and shouldered her sword. Her enemies had fear in their eyes when they saw the dangerous gleam in her eyes and the cocky smirk that played across her countenance. “Sucks to be you.”

With a single surge of motion she hurtled up into the air and aimed her sword down at her three enemies. Light gushed forth in a massive blast of ether, engulfing them and their three layer barrier. She descended and landed directly on top of the shield and gave them a little wink. “See ya!”

As the three cringed she flipped up and backwards, soaring away from them. In the middle of her leap her body broke apart into light and zipped away, reforming at Rex’s side, batting Byron’s Greataxe aside with a two handed strike with her own weapon. “Rex, you’re about to get a crash course in fighting with two Blades!”

Rex and Nia’s opponents prepared themselves to face their new attacker. From the side the three Mythra had abandoned came running to join them. “Rex, Nia, are you two ready?”

Driver and Blade exchanged a look and then nodded their affirmative in unison. Rex adjusted his grip on Nia’s sword and flashed Mythra and Nia each a big smile. “Absolutely!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Resting on your laurels? What's that?


	19. Faces of Malice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had wanted to get this up yesterday, but I've been experiencing an Internet service outage at home. I want to say Happy 3rd Anniversary to XBC2! It just happened to be the game I needed in all the right ways at a very difficult time of my life, so I'm glad I've taken this opportunity to contribute something to the awesome Xenoblade fandom. 
> 
> This chapter and the next are pretty significant and mark a turning point of sorts for the story.

Rex swung Mythra’s sword in a two handed horizontal chop that, despite being blocked, caused the beast Blade to stumble. He followed that up with a swing angled from below. The Common Blade with the Shieldhammer blocked it, but the force lifted the Blade a dozen or so centimeters off the ground. 

Rex released his grip on the sword and caught Nia’s out of the air, swinging to the other  
side and driving the claw user backwards. There wasn’t as much power behind that one handed strike and something had felt off. 

Nia whipped Theory across the chest with a lash of water and Mythra raised a barrier to block an overhead blow from Byron’s Greataxe. Then she raised her other hand and fired a bolt of light at Praxis, who deflected it with her Megalance, but the head of the weapon blew apart in the process. “Rex, you were too slow transitioning between our affinity links! You have to feel us reaching out to you and anticipate the change.”

He tried to feel their mutual connection, but as Nia released her affinity and Mythra established hers Rex felt like his body was jolted to the bone. The sudden transition of elemental ether types and the amount of ether being transferred hit his body roughly. “Believe me, I can tell I don’t have the timing down!”

The spike on Nia’s right boot stabbed into the side of the beast Blade’s body, causing it to howl in pain and leap back to make some distance between them. “Are you two really trying to have a lesson right here and now?”

Mythra grabbed her sword from Rex as he tossed it towards her and swung hard, denting the Shieldhammer. “What better place than the battlefield?”

Praxis reformed the head of her Megalance and unleashed a furious blast of water ether. Nia spread her hands wide and caught it in a funnel made from her own elemental ether and then diverted that attack up into the air. It broke apart and water gently rained down upon them. The enemy water Blade looked furious. “Are you people even taking this seriously? We’re trying to kill you!”

Rex engaged Nia’s ether link and launched a blast of ether at the enemy leader. “Who isn’t these days?”

Byron let out a thunderous bellow as his body was bathed in flames. He charged forward, his body leaking fire ether. “No way are a bunch of kids going to make fools of me!”

Without warning a bulky Common Blade careened into Byron’s side and sent them both tumbling off the Titan’s edge and into the clouds. Byron screamed as the Cloud Sea smothered his flames. A rocket detonated in the middle of the group of Blades, forcing them to scatter. 

Half a tree followed after it, slamming down on top of the beast Blade. Tora and Poppi came running in from the side. They came to a stop nearby and Tora launched another rocket from the center of his shield. Theory stepped forward and touched the explosive, freezing it in mid-motion. “Once was enough,” she said.

Praxis dashed forward, appearing suddenly in front of the Nopon and his Artificial Blade. She raised her Megalance up high and then was struck in the gut by a Bitball. The water Blade let out a shrill shriek as lightning coursed out of the Bitball and through her body. 

Vess approached the melee with one hand outstretched. Her clothes were ripped, the halo was missing from her left wrist, and there was a large gash dripping blood from her forehead, but it appeared she had triumphed in her battle. “I would rather you didn’t hurt my trainees.”

Praxis staggered until she met up with Theory, the two Blades going back to back. “I think we might want to retreat for the moment Theory.”

“I believe you’re right. We may need to rethink our strategy. All hands, retreat to the Vanguard!” Theory pointed her sword into the air and a cloud of icicles formed. They then launched out in a wide spray at Rex and his group.

Praxis barked an order at the beast Blade, who had disengaged from his fight with Nia. “Tannis, collect Elex, we’re bailing!”

“At your command.” The beast bolted towards where Vess and the earth element Blade had been fighting.

The clawed Blade looked around at the chaos, his four eyes darting from spot to spot. “Retreating? Are you screwing with me? I’m not finished yet!”

He dashed in and slashed with renewed vigor at Rex, the energy claws extending from his wrists leaving little trails of lights as he swung them at an impressive velocity. “I’ll slice the flesh from your bones you little shit!”

Rex deflected the Blade’s attacks using Nia’s sword, but his affinity link was being drawn from Mythra. It was a strange sensation, using Foresight while using Nia’s weapon. “You’re a real creepy guy, you know that? Didn’t you hear your boss? It’s time you run for it!”

“My boss? You’ve got it all wrong! I’m only with this lot for convenience, but if you think this is over you’re wrong! Do you know what’s going to happen?” His energy claws lengthened and he tried to stab Rex in the chest, but the Driver swayed to the side to avoid it.

“I’m going to gut you, and then this bunch will steal your Blades’ Core Crystals! They’ll line ‘em up all nice with a picture of their cute faces and people will fork over a ton of cash to get at what’s inside!” His claws locked with Rex’s sword and the two pressed against each other, in a contest of strength.

The claw user laughed maliciously. “I can only imagine the sort of things those new Drivers will do to your Blades! Their bodies will be playthings for some Human, can’t you picture it? And what are the Blades going to do? Resist? Kill their own Driver and go back into their core? DON’T MAKE ME LAUGH!”

“Like hell that’s gonna happen!” Rex drew even further upon Mythra’s ether to strengthen himself and pushed hard, forcing his opponent’s claws backwards. “They’re not yours or anyone else’s playthings!”

The Blade bellowed out a laugh again. “If you had wanted a taste you should have taken one while you still had air in your lungs! Being a fragile Human is the worst, ain’t it?”

Rex let out a primal sound of rage and released his grip on the hilt of the sword with one hand. Then he grabbed it at a different angle and twisted with all of his strength. Those red energy blades cracked and then shattered apart. Fear filled the enemy Blade’s eyes. Rex held out his left hand and shouted, “Mythra!”

Her sword came flying and he caught it and went on the attack. The Blade was forced to desperately dodge attacks from Rex who was now wildly swinging Mythra and Nia’s weapons as fast as he could. Chunks were cut out of the Blade’s armor bit by bit as he barely avoided lethal damage. “A little shit like you...hurting me?”

Rex had completely lost track of everything else going on in the fight. All he knew was that he wanted to hurt the foe in front of him. “You’re damned right!”

He swung down simultaneously with both swords and the Blade raised a hand in desperation to block. Rex entwined the weapons across the man’s wrist like scissors in that instant and then chopped in opposite directions, severing the Blade’s hand. It screamed in pain as blood and sparks sprayed out of the stump.

The Blade stumbled and started to dart backwards, finally properly retreating. Rex shouted again and swung Mythra’s sword vertically as hard as he could. The light portion of the weapon slashed up and into the Blade’s armor around the stomach and then upwards across the center of his chest, until it took a gouge out of the Blade’s masked face, even severing one half of the golden spike that protruded from his chin.

A wall of ice shot up out of the ground, blocking Rex’s path. He stabbed both swords into the ice and channeled ether into it, blowing the wall apart. As the chunks of frozen water tumbled to the ground he saw Praxis and Theory retreating with the clawed Blade, making a jump towards the water. The other Blades were joining them in their retreat. 

As soon as they splashed into the Cloud Sea the two water element Blades performed their earlier trick, water spreading out on the surface of the clouds and began to propel the group of eight away from the aging Titan. In the middle of their flight away the masked Blade looked back and screamed at Rex. “This isn’t over you little shit! Next time we meet I’ll rip the bones out of your fleshy body and make them my meal!”

Rex gathered ether into Mythra’s sword and prepared to fire off another attack, but a slim hand grasped his wrist. He turned in surprise to see Nia there, Mythra at her side. “It’s okay Rex. Everyone is fine.”

The rage filling him bled away and he felt like all of his energy went with it. His muscles felt like jelly. “I just...I wasn’t going to lose...anyone. Not again…”

Nia let go of his wrist and he let his arm fall to his side. Mythra reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. “We’re still here. We won Rex.”

“Yeah...we did, didn’t we? Let’s make sure everyone is okay. I know I got a little hurt.”

As he turned to make his way to check on the others he failed to notice the look that passed between Nia and Mythra. 

\-----------------------

Eight injured and frustrated Blades sat on the Vanguard as the speed boat jetted away from the Titan to reach a safe distance where they wouldn’t be visible. Theory piloted the Vanguard with practiced ease. All of them had taken some kind of wounds, but as Blades it was only a matter of time until they were fully healed. Still hurt though.

Byron growled and hurled a fireball into the Cloud Sea. “There are eight of us! How did we lose to six people? Didn’t the boss say that the kid was supposed to be a newbie Driver? I’ve faced Drivers with decades of experience who didn’t fight like that!”

Praxis leaned over the side and idly trailed her hand through the Cloud Sea. “Chill Byron. Waldemar told us that his intel said to expect trouble. He wasn’t even sure if we’d be able to complete the mission the first try. Pretty sure that bitch Patroka just wanted to hire us to harass them. Seems like she didn’t think we’d be able to finish the job.”

Theory glanced over her shoulder at the rest of them. “If my Driver wasn’t confident that the eight of us could finish this the first time we shouldn’t be surprised. We should contact him and see what he wants us to do. Attack once we’ve recovered or wait for reinforcements?”

Byron looked towards the rear of the Vanguard where the last Unique Blade of their unit huddled with his back to them. “Quit being such a baby. It’s just a hand. It’ll grow back. You never take that much damage in a fight before? Your Driver must not have put you in any real fights.”

The other man grumbled something, but didn’t turn around. Byron growled and stood up, stomping over. “Don’t ignore me you shithead! Waldemar only assigned you to our unit because you’ve brought in some good Core Crystals recently. Personally I don’t trust someone whose Driver won’t even show himself! That type of coward would obviously have a coward of a Blade.”

“Piss off.” 

Byron clenched his right hand into a fist and gathered fire ether in it. “I’ve had it with your bullshit attitude!”

He reached out and grabbed the other Blade’s shoulder, forcefully spinning him around. Byron raised his fist to slug the other man, but stopped dead at what he saw. “No...that’s...impossible.”

Everyone’s attention turned to their ally. Not a single bit of the damage to his body looked like it was regenerating, but more importantly the circular Core Crystal in the center of his chest...had been sliced in half and held no glow. 

Praxis stared slack jawed at what she saw. “You should be dead! Permanently!”

He glanced down at the damage and then back up at them. “Damn...knew I wouldn’t be able to hide it for the rest of the trip.”

Byron gulped and let his other hand fall to his side. “Are you even a Blade? What are you? Flesh Eater? Human?”

Praxis slowly nodded. “There’s no way you can be a Blade with that type of damage. What are you Metal Face?”

He jumped forward and grabbed her face with his golden gauntleted hand, slamming her down onto the deck of the boat. “You’re absolutely right, I’m no Blade!”

Theory was there in an instant, her katana extended out towards his face. “Release her, Metal Face. Or I’ll cut you down where you stand.”

The masked Blade snickered malevolently. “I’d like to see you try. And I ain’t Metal Face!”

A huge mechanical arm erupted from the Cloud Sea beneath them, thin claws extending from its hand. Another burst up from the other side of the Vanguard. One hand clamped down around Byron and the other around Theory. The other Blades looked around in fear.

Their supposed ally laughed with delight. “That’s Metal Face! From now on I’m in charge! We’re going to be making a pit stop so I can repair these injuries...and then we’re going back so I can gut that shitty Aegis Brat and his Blades!”

The metal arms released the two Blades and retreated back underwater. He let go of Praxis’ face and stood back up. “Now I’m going to give you some coordinates and you’re going to take us there, is that understood?”

Theory nodded very slowly. 

He provided the coordinates and then plopped back down at the back of the boat. Then he reached out with a long range radio transmission. A silent communication that could only be heard by those it was intended for. Even the Blades on the boat wouldn’t be privy to the conversation.

_“Crimson Face, do you read?”_

Crimson Face’s voice came on the other end. He reported his current situation and plan moving forward, largely ignored Crimson Face’s own plans, and then disconnected the link without waiting for further reply.

Mentally he reached out to the Face Unit trailing underneath the boat. Its power reading still remained at a measly twenty percent unfortunately. It would have been so much easier if he could just fly back to base, but it took too long for the Face Unit to recharge. They desperately needed a better power source.

He held up the stump where his hand used to be so he could take a closer look at it. The sight of nothing where once there was a hand filled him with a burning rage. It didn’t matter what Crimson Face said. The next time he saw that brat and his Blades he would slice them limb from limb. 

\-------------------------

Patroka’s back slammed hard against the metal wall, Malos forearm pressed up against her body just below her neck. “What the hell was that Patroka? How did those Core Crystal hunters find Mythra and the brat? If you lie to me…”, he left the threat hanging in the air.

Dromarch moved up next to them, worry clear in his feline eyes. “Sir Malos, please, unhand the lady. There is no need for allies to fight.”

“Piss off kitty. This is between me and her.” Malos didn’t break eye contact with Patroka for even a second. 

Despite the threat Patroka remained perfectly calm. “I’ve been in contact with Waldemar’s group. I convinced him to go after them.”

Malos narrowed his eyes and the timbre of his voice lowered dangerously. “And why did you go and do a thing like that?”

At the entrance to the hallway Akhos watched silently. Obrona was on the bridge, presumably still using her ability to monitor the situation. Patroka rolled her eyes at her nominal boss. “To wear them down. Now is the perfect time for us to attack rather than sitting around waiting for some stray opportunity!”

Akhos adjusted his red rimmed spectacles in that ostentatious way of his. “If we follow my script we have the best chance of besting the Aegis. Those background actors you introduced serve no purpose.”

Patroka turned her head and spat on the floor. “That’s what I think of your script. Are you really so afraid of the Aegis that you won’t act until the conditions are perfect? With Obrona’s ability the Aegis is the only one we even have to worry about!”

Malos pulled his forearm away and then grabbed the front of her coat and slung her to the side. She grabbed at the wall, crumpling some of the metal in her grip to keep herself from falling. “And the minute we breach the Monoceros we’ll get annihilated by Siren. Why else do you think Mythra is out here in the middle of nowhere? She’s soft! An uninhabited Titan in the middle of nowhere provides the best conditions for her to attack with her full power without worry about collateral damage.”

She adjusted herself and straightened her coat. “Yeah, I’m familiar with Akhos’ stupid plan. But look at the facts! She didn’t bust out Siren against eight Blades out for their heads! Why is that? You said yours was destroyed so maybe hers can’t be used either. I’m betting that targeting laser from before was a bluff.”

Akhos shook his head and raised his arms in an exaggerated shrug. “Dear sister, if your guess is wrong we’ll all be destroyed. It’s better to act with prudence in this scenario.”

“Act like cowards is what you mean.” 

Dromarch once again stepped in between Patroka and Malos. “Please, allies should not  
fight. Perhaps we should simply take a vote.”

Malos stalked forward in that languid manner of his and laid his hand down on the top of Dromarch’s head. “Look at you, playing peacemaker. Frankly that’s adorable. But this crew isn’t a democracy. You have your orders Patroka. Follow them.”

“Screw you Malos.” She spun and stalked away from the rest of them, heading for her cabin. Her patience had run out. Maybe the next time Waldemar’s hunters attacked the Aegis Malos would listen to reason. Not likely. 

When she made it to her cabin she reached a hand out to the latch on the door, but was stopped when a familiar voice spoke up. “Lady Patroka, please, do not hold it against Sir Malos. The role of leadership can be a difficult one.”

Patroka looked over her shoulder to find the big white and black tiger approaching, padding forward across the metal floor. “Yeah sure, leadership. Are you going to keep standing up for Malos’ bullshit? He doesn’t give a damn about you, can’t you tell already?”

Dromarch stopped a few meters away and laid down, peering up at her. “Perhaps, but trust must be earned. It is a Blade’s place to support and defend their Driver.”

“Yeah, keep that up and you’re going to support and defend Malos until he’s walking over your broken core to his next destination. I don’t need a lecture on what a Blade’s place is.” She reached up and tapped the Core Crystal, tained with red, that rested upon her chest. “I know damned well what a Blade’s place in this world is.”

“Indeed. So surely you understand.”

“Oh I do. You don’t though. Not yet. Now buzz off, I’m gonna get some shut eye.” Patroka reached back out and wrenched open the door to her cabin. As she started to step in, Dromarch spoke again.

“What did this Aegis do to you that you hate her so?” Patroka jerked her head around to stare at the beast Blade.

“Hate her? I don’t hate her or her little group. I wanna kick that blonde bimbo’s ass, but I don’t hate her.”

“Then why was there hate in your voice when you tried to convince Sir Malos to attack her? If not hate for her, then for who?” There was a note of understanding in Dromarch’s deep voice. He sounded a little too knowing for her tastes. Acting like he got what made her tick.

“Shut up Dromarch. And stay out of my way.” She stepped through the door and slammed it shut behind her, then clicked the lock into place.

For who? 

Patroka lashed out with her fist and smashed the mirror on the wall, sending shards of glass tumbling into the sink. 

\---------------------

Two dozen members of the Carraig Special Guard Unit marched towards their assault dropship, split into four lines. One line of Blades each on the far sides, and then marching in step with them were their Drivers. The elite of the elite. Hand chosen for this mission by the Empress herself. 

Behind the Carraig Special Guard Unit were the men of a full Century, eighty men and women of the Imperial Guard Division, 2nd Battalion arrayed in lock step. Their complement of Archelons and Ardanian Scout ships had already been loaded onto the dropship. 

This combined unit had been assigned the task of subduing and capturing the Aegis as well as executing her allies in order to bring about justice for the deaths of Ardanian soldiers. Such was the decree of the Empress and the Senate. 

There was a fair bit of pomp and circumstance, but eventually all members of the Combined Aegis Task Force had assembled aboard the dropship and departed from the dock atop Hardhaigh Palace. 

In the Throne Room, four Senators of high standing sat at a table discussing current events with the woman seated upon the throne at the far end of the room. The Empress was curt with them and had little patience for what she called foolish suggestions. She had always been a woman with a straightforward way of talking, but her temper recently was fiery. She had become prone to lashing out in anger where before she would react calmly, yet fiercely. 

No one among the Senate or the Palace staff knew what had caused the Empress’ change in demeanor. Some suspected it had something to do with Lady Brighid’s lack of presence at the Empress’ side. It had been weeks since anyone could recall seeing the Empress’ personal Blade. All the Empress herself would say of the matter was that Lady Brighid was engaged in an important task and would return when it was completed.

Lady Brighid’s absence and the Empress’ recent unpleasant attitude had resurfaced rumors of an inappropriate relationship between the two. While not strictly against decorum, it was considered shameful by most for someone of high standing to have a romantic or physical entanglement with a Blade. The Empress had yet to take a suitor, so if she were to become involved with a Blade, what would become of the line of succession?

Still, none had yet had the courage to broach the topic with her. Especially given how quick to anger she had recently become. There were some, very few, who whispered that they could not afford to have a leader who was ruled by emotions in a time of global crisis. The Aegis had returned after all.

Eventually their meeting came to a conclusion and the four men shuffled out, leaving the Empress alone. She sat upon the Throne silently, chin resting upon her hand as if in contemplation. After a few minutes had passed the air to the left of the Throne rippled and swirled, revealing a woman whose presence had been concealed from the Senators.

This woman stepped in front of the Throne and placed a hand gently upon the Empress’ forehead and leaned in until her teal eyes were mere centimeters away from the Empress’ brown ones. “Your headaches are bothering you again, aren’t they? Please, let me expurgate the pain.”

Wind ether swirled around the Empress’ head. Minutes later the Empress sat upright and alert, her hands resting upon the arms of the Throne. The woman with the teal eyes was nowhere to be found. 

\-----------------------

Muimui was annoyed. That wasn’t unusual. Lots of things annoyed Muimui. Bad food. The too hot and dry weather of Mor Ardain. The old professor’s bumbling demeanor. Chairman Bana’s caustic tongue and propensity for violence. The excessive sweltering heat of the factory. The idiot Tirkin guards and their incessant nattering. Now he had this stupid Blade to tack onto that list.

The Blade in front of him was dressed in form fitting black armor across its arms and torso, revealing its feminine form. A simple circular Core Crystal was set in the middle of her stomach. Black and red metal leggings covered all save her upper things. All Blades looked odd to Muimui, especially since they never seemed to look like Nopon, but this one had a mask for a face, colored a dark blue. It had an unsmiling unmoving mouth and slitted eyes that barely showed the blue iris. Even odder were feathered wings protruding from the back of the Blade’s head, made from a shiny metal. 

“Muimui keep telling you, cannot make new deal without permission of Chairman Bana. Not good for business.” This Blade was so persistent.

“Perhaps you would consider a deal off the books. To pad your own pockets rather than that of the Chairman’s.” 

“Muimui cannot be bought by measly money Blade has to offer!” He harrumphed and tried to look offended. A little bit of extra money to set aside could be good. If the pay was good enough maybe he could finally get away from the Chairman and this awful factory. 

“So that means you can be bought. Good. That just means all that’s left is to negotiate terms.”

The sound of metal feet tromping across one of the catwalks reached Muimui’s ears and he began to hurriedly push the Blade away. “Lila is coming! Blade must go now! Come back later! We talk then!”

“Very well. I’ll look forward to our future business relationship.” She gracefully turned and sauntered away and out of view. Thankfully just in time before Lila came around the corner. Muimui didn’t know if Lila would tattle, but it wasn’t worth the risk.

Once the Nopon and the Artificial Blade returned inside Azure Face came back out from where she had been hiding behind a tremendous pipe several times her size. She tilted her head up and looked towards the entrance to the supposedly abandoned factory. She had become convinced that her mission could be achieved with successful access to the factory and those within. 

Crimson Face had settled upon a similar idea, but she was certain his efforts with that stray Nopon would bear no fruit. She would be the one to produce results. 

\-------------------

Crimson Face sat atop one of the high branches of the Grand Arbor, looking out across the stunning vista of Gormott. His conversation with Metal Face had not gone well. That fool was much too aggressive and short-tempered. While Metal Face’s efforts had brought in necessary resources for them to operate off of, he was not well suited to research or subterfuge. It was no surprise he had been forced to show his hand. 

Still, they could make use of the Blades Metal Face had forcefully recruited. As for Crimson Face himself, well he had something else in mind. It was about time that he sought out the Nopon Tora. The Nopon was the key, he was sure of it. The Nopon and his Artificial Blade technology. 

Thankfully it would be easy to track down the fluffy fellow. After all, Crimson Face had implanted a tracking device into the Perfect Range Sensor he had purchased for the Nopon four months ago. With it he could easily find the Artificial Blade and her master anywhere on Alrest. 

It was time to set out.

\----------------------

Consul Dughall was feeling far more at ease now that Special Inquisitor Niall and his terse Blade had departed Torigoth. Even better, he had already assembled and dispatched a force of handpicked men, made up of loyal soldiers and hired mercenaries, to apprehend the Aegis. The third party that had contacted him had offered him the deal of a lifetime. 

There was a distinct thump sound from outside his office. He looked up from his desk towards the entrance, but saw nothing. “What are you doing out there? Don’t be making noise while I’m working! I’ve told you idiots a hundred times not~”

The words died in his throat as a figure sauntered unhindered into the room. With her short skirt and long blonde hair the Aegis cut a distinct and appealing figure, save for the blood dripping down the ornate broadsword she dragged behind her. 

Dughall opened his mouth to cry for her help, despite knowing that blood had to belong to the guard at the door. Before more than a slight sound escaped his lips the Aegis had crossed the distance between them and landed in a crouch on his desk, one finger pressed up against his lips. “Shhhh….”, she whispered.

Hot liquid began trickling down the inside of his trousers. This couldn’t be happening! He was the Consul of the largest Ardanian province! His career, his life, it couldn’t end in a backwater hole like Gormott! “Pleas~”

Ether flared in the room, quenching any scream the Consul might have made. When the guards found the Consul’s body there was barely enough left to identify him.

Stuck into the Consul’s desk with a dagger was a bounty poster of the Aegis. Scrawled in blood on the bottom was a message. It read: “Don’t test me.”

\------------------------

Mabon bit back another ragged cough. When it subsided he scratched furiously at his beard. He hadn’t been back to Mor Ardain in many years. It seemed hotter than ever. Hot enough that it was no surprise that few Ardanian men kept beards like his. The coughing had definitely gotten worse, but it wasn’t constant.

He tried to hold it back when it came up. His son Antis had happily taken him in, despite the bounty that had been placed upon Mabon and Vess’ heads. Still, no one was supposed to know he was there and his son worked a night shift at one of the factories. Not only did he not want to wake up Antis while the lad was sleeping, but he couldn’t afford to allow anyone to realize some strange old man was living in this apartment.

There was little he could do and even less time left. He had hoped to make it to Fonsa Myma to visit his daughter Noelle and her family, but when the bounty posters had gone up it had become clear he wouldn’t be going anywhere. Idly he considered shaving his hair and beard to avoid detection, but realized that was foolhardy. There was no telling if he could survive a trip to Fonsa Myma anyway. 

The only sort of ships that would take an old man with no proper identification wouldn’t have the best creature comforts and his health was already in decline. Even so, he and Antis had engaged in a long argument about the matter. 

Antis hadn’t been able to prove it, but he had become certain that the apartment was being watched as were his daily movements. If that was the case, Mabon wasn’t surprised. As a registered Driver it wouldn’t have been difficult for the Empire to track down the whereabouts of his children. Less so Noelle who lived abroad in Uraya.

Soldiers from the Imperial Guard had actually investigated the apartment at one point, but Mabon had successfully hidden from them by wedging himself up above some tiles in the ceiling structure. His years as an adventurer had come in handy. 

His thoughts turned to his Blade. A fine woman who had helped care for Noelle and Antis after Mabon’s wife had passed. They had said their goodbyes, but it still felt terribly sad not to see her each day. She had been a part of his daily life for nearly five decades after all. He missed her kind words, her soft smile, the way she always knew when he was trying to pull a fast one, and even her dumplings. 

_‘You’d best take good care of her Rex. She deserves the best…’_

\-------------------------

Yew finished reading the message the courier had delivered and then passed it over to Zuo. The Urayan man perused the letter carefully and then tucked it back into its envelope. “So? What do you think?”

Zuo ran a hand through his hair and let the mildest grimace grace his features. “I think the boss’ll want to take a look at this.”

“Think he’ll have us take the job?”

“It’s the boss we’re talking about. Course he will. Getting the chance to take a crack at the Aegis? You think he’d be able to resist?”

“Ha! You’re right about that.”

Together they approached one of the outdoor tables where the boss awaited, happily munching away at some roasted meat and taking swigs of frothy beer from a wooden mug. He was going to be excited about this, that was for sure.

\-------------------

Haze massaged her forehead to relieve a little tension. She had been doing paperwork at her desk for hours at this point and it was starting to wear on her. Still, it was necessary and useful work. The Praetor had assigned the task of monitoring and maintaining the refugee camps on Indol to her. Those people relied on her in many ways. Even among those who protested Blades she was viewed highly. An exception as it were.

She was used to being an exception. As one of the Praetor’s Blades for centuries she predated the restrictions on Praetorium staff having Blades. There had once been quite a few exceptions, but even among the long lived Indoline it seemed nearly impossible for someone to live this long. Yet the Praetor was as healthy now as he had been the day they first resonated. Only in the last few decades had creases started to line his handsome face. The early signs of age. 

Haze could still remember the day she had been Awakened. There had been something almost tentative or frightened about the Praetor in that moment. A longing or a sadness in his eyes that seemed so at odds with his calm attitude and soft, but strong voice. Looking back she could only guess what the reason was. An innate fear born of the disaster that was his resonance with the dark Aegis Malos? The sadness of loss for his torn relationship with his first Blade Minoth? 

Prior to the revival of the Aegis Mythra it had been a long time since Haze had contemplated the fact that she shared a resonance with Malos and Minoth. A mutual connection to the Praetor. Yet now the thought often wormed its way to the forefront of her mind. 

Even odder, she had recognized the Blade Nia, companion Blade in the hand of the Aegis’ Driver. Once, a few centuries prior, Nia had been Awakened right in front of Haze. She couldn’t remember the name of the Indoline Warrior Monk who had bonded Nia temporarily. To think that a Blade from so long ago was relevant now. The Praetor had nearly reneged on an agreement with the nobility of Gormott, but had ultimately decided not to resonate with the water element Blade.

What would life have been like in the intervening years had the Praetor done so? He always had liked Blades with unique skills. If he had then she would have had five “siblings” instead of four. Assuming Minoth lived, which was unlikely. 

Haze found herself craving a meeting with the Aegis Malos. A chance to sit and talk to him, to get his perspective on the world and the Praetor. Perhaps he could be made to understand the proper way forward. They could be a family.

What would that have been like? Had Malos never rebelled against the Praetor and unleashed his fury upon Alrest? Would Haze have ever been Awakened by the Praetor?

Sadly it was unlikely that Malos could ever be any sort of brother to her. Unfortunate. 

Haze let her mind drift away from the forgotten paperwork. She imagined an alternative path, a way that the present might have been if the Praetor had resonated with that young water Blade so many years before. Imagined Nia joining her as one of her sisters. As the fourth Goddess of Indol. 

\----------------------

Nia had already helped patch Vess up and the electric element healer had insisted on taking care of Tora’s injuries. The Nopon himself set about inspecting Poppi for damage that might need repairs. It seemed strange to Nia to think of a Blade that needed repairs, but this was an odd group after all.

So she turned her attention to Rex and Mythra. Neither of them had significant injuries, it was all things she could heal and bandage. The problem was…

“So, how about an explanation?” Rex looked confused. Mythra stubbornly looked away. That settled it. Rex had no idea, but Mythra was aware.

“Explanation for what?” Rex looked up at her with such genuine curiosity that Nia almost felt bad about forcing the issue. Even so, she pressed forward. It needed to be addressed.

Nia grabbed Rex’s arm with the burn on it and lifted it up. With the other hand she did the same to Mythra’s. The blonde woman didn’t resist, but she did look thoroughly annoyed. “See? They’re the same.”

Rex appeared concerned when he asked Mythra, “Did that Byron fellow burn you too?”

Nia squeezed her eyes shut and groaned. Was he being deliberately dense or what? “Ugh, don’t you get it? It’s not just that burn. Every injury on her is the exact same as an injury on you. They haven’t even started healing yet. Why’s a Blade not even started regenerating from shallow wounds like these? Why are they the same as yours? Huh?”

Her Driver slowly reached up and ran a finger just below the cut under his eye. His golden irises fixed upon the cut under Mythra’s eye. In the same spot and the same length as his own. “Mythra...it’s true. They are the same.”

Mythra sighed and leaned back to stare up at the sky. “Yeah. They are. I’ll still heal from them, but the regeneration is slower than it should be.”

She tapped her Core Crystal where the x-pattern was removed and then extended her other hand to touch the x-shaped emerald core on his chest. “When I had you touch my core, in that dream Elysium, it created a connection between us. Not just one of Driver and Blade. I shared my life force with you. We’re linked.”

Nia squatted down and looked first at Mythra and then back at Rex. She had been suspecting there was something odd about the core they seemed to share. This wasn’t what she had guessed. At first she had assumed it was a decoration, but a closer inspection had shown it was bonded to Rex’s flesh. Then she had figured it for some weird Aegis shenanigans. Turned out she was right, but not how she had expected.

“So what’s all that really mean? You share injuries? If Rex gets hurt you get hurt, is that it?”

“More or less.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”, Rex asked. 

“Didn’t seem worth mentioning. I didn’t want you to freak out or treat me like I’m glass.” Mythra crossed her arms and pouted, but Nia could see through it. She was faking. There was still something Mythra was hiding.

“Mythra,” Nia said. “What happens if Rex dies?” Both sets of eyes turned to focus on her. From the shock in Rex’s it was clear he hadn’t thought of that yet. From the irritation in Mythra’s Nia was sure she already knew the answer.

“Our lives are intertwined. If Rex dies then so do I.” There it was, out in the open.

Rex focused again on Mythra, but rather than pure concern or even fear, there was a look of mild hurt in his eyes. “But you said…”

Mythra shrugged. “I lied, okay? Does it really matter now?”

Nia reached out and flicked Mythra in the ear. The Aegis yelped and shot a glare at Nia. “Hey, what the hell?”

“Course it matters. You owe him an explanation. So do it or I won’t patch the two of you up.” Nia crossed her arms and squared up her ears. It felt almost physically painful to hold herself back from healing the injuries in front of her, but there were all kinds of wounds. The obvious ones were physical, but the ones that weren’t were often more dangerous.

“Yeah, I don’t have to answer that. I won’t be pushed around.” There was a gleam in Mythra’s eyes that Nia couldn’t identify. 

Rex slowly nodded. “It’s okay. Just...tell me whenever you’re ready okay. But please, don’t lie to me.”

Nia could already tell this would be a hard nut to crack. Even worse, a part of her couldn’t help but wonder if it was her own presence that was keeping Mythra from opening up. That was stupid though. Right?

Her other suspicions seemed confirmed. Rex had been familiar with her techniques, with how to fight with her sword, and his innate trust in her was far too strong for a Blade he had just met. There were no doubts in her mind. Someone close to Rex had been her previous Driver. He had known her from before.

Was the blend of joy and sorrow she saw in his eyes when he thought she wasn’t looking in memory of the person he had lost or for her? What did Rex think of the past Nia? Had she just been the Blade of someone close to him or had their connection been deeper? What else could explain the way their affinity link had blazed with gold the moment they resonated? There had been a purity to that ether bond she hadn’t been expecting. 

How was she supposed to deal with the looks he gave her? Those quiet almost hidden stares. That sadness in his golden eyes. It hurt, yet at the same time it made her happy. Being around your Driver wasn’t supposed to be this confusing, was it?

Nia didn’t have the answers to those questions. She would just have to take it one day at a time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the month of November I wrote just slightly over 70k words for this story. It was an intense and enjoyable experience. I typically write a lot more methodically and make far more editing passes on other projects than I have here, but I wanted to just let myself write. Whatever I wanted, however much I felt like, each day. But always something. 
> 
> That being said, while I'm still going to try to continue my trend of writing something each day, work on this story will probably slow a little. It won't stop. Expect consistent updates, but not at quite the breakneck pace November had. I'll also likely be putting out a few one-shots here and there as part of this fandom. Most will probably be independent of this story, but I might have a few over time that are linked to this AU canon.
> 
> I hope everyone continues to enjoy. More important notes to come after next update, which will mark the end of this "Chapter" of the story.


	20. The Gracious Wave

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I decided to try out the mobile game Another Eden (because I'm a big Chrono Trigger fan) and...it definitely exists. Just as I was about to quit playing and avoid Gacha Hell one of the characters I got gave their intro lines. I immediately paused, because I KNEW I recognized that voice. Sure as shit it was Skye Bennet, doing a voice that sounded like a faintly Southern Mythra. 
> 
> Hmmm? Oh, right. Also here's the newest chapter. Enjoy!

Kildare dreamed of fire. A sea of blue flame that cracked, popped, seethed, and roared. In the dream she felt pain unlike any other. Sensation so intense that it seemed her mind would be unable to keep up. Agony that made her crave death as a path of escape. There, from the center of the flames, stretched out an elegant hand with long fingers. That hand, formed from the flames themselves, reached out for her.

She awakened in a sweat that burned her body. Pained her still sensitive scar tissue. In the tiny cot she rested on she pulled her knees to her chest and hugged them tight to her, biting back any chance of tears. There was no chance she would let these people see her cry. She owed that much to herself. There was little else she had.

When the pain subsided a little she slowly swung her feet over the edge of the cot and stood. Her muscles ached from the previous day’s work and her wounds trembled and itched. By the light filtering through the circular window it wasn’t time for her shift yet.

Kildare grabbed her clothes and padded out into the narrow hallway, dressed only in boxers and the bandages that covered so much of her skin. On her path to the shower she passed a few of the crew members, but none of them seemed to care about her near nudity. Understandable. These men often walked about nearly naked. And who would be interested in a body that looked like hers did right now?

For once her luck held up and no one was currently using the shower. The unit was set up with water produced naturally by their Titan and rain water, then heated using a furnace. She grabbed one of the available clean towels and stepped inside. Carefully she unwrapped her bandaged flesh and set about cleaning herself, being careful not to run water directly onto her damaged skin. Instead she carefully patted everything with a wet cloth and soap and very slowly and meticulously cleaned herself. The crew was often annoyed with how long it took her.

There were no burns on her scalp so she was thankfully able to use running water to quickly clean her long black hair. It was shorter than when they had found her, some of the edges had been burned beyond repair and had to be cut off, but it still came down between her shoulder blades when loose. When she was finally clean she dabbed herself dry with the towel, scrubbed at her hair, and then tied it up into a loose ponytail. She wanted to take care of that hair. It was the only part of herself that seemed normal. Appealing even. The rest of her…

Once finished she wrapped the towel around her body and pulled the boxers back on. Then she padded her way to the medical office that served as a clinic, emergency surgery ward, and the room for the vessel’s resident Driver and Blade. Massie was a woman of few words in her mid-fifties and the ship’s doctor. Her Blade, a Common type named Annissa, was a healer. Not especially powerful and skilled, but a healer nevertheless. These two had saved her life. 

Apparently Annissa and her Driver had originally been hired onto the crew of the Gracious Wave as a salvager team. Massie was a licensed salvager, but apparently had no real skill for it. It was Annissa who did the salvaging between the pair. Blades couldn’t receive salvager licenses as it turned out. It was only after a few years on the ship that their role had shifted to taking care of the health needs of the crew. 

Massie was still asleep, but Annissa was up and expecting her. “Kildare, good morning. How are you feeling today? Has the pain lessened any?”

Annissa had that straightforward uninteresting accent common to so many Blades. She was kind and attentive though. Kildare shook her head slightly. “Much the same as yesterday. No more, no less.”

The Blade motioned for Kildare to remove the towel, which she did without complaint or hesitation. Both doctor and Blade had seen her naked flesh many times now. Annissa inspected her carefully and closely and then, once satisfied, raised her hands and sent a soothing breeze spiraling around Kildare’s body. It moved from top to bottom and then back up, making multiple passes. This was Annissa’s healing technique. 

She and Massie had told Kildare that a Blade of greater strength and skill might already have been able to heal her injuries, but for Annissa it would take numerous sessions. The Blade did seem confident that the scars would mostly fade with her treatment. 

As Annissa healed her, the woman offered additional conversation. Kildare already knew what to expect. “Did you have the dream again?”

“I did.” She had the dream of blue fire every night. 

“Have you remembered anything else?” Annissa glanced up briefly from her work to gauge Kildare’s expression. With practiced ease Kildare kept her face neutral. No reason to show her disappointment.

“Nothing as of yet.” Kildare remembered no details of her personal life, beyond her name, from past a handful of weeks prior when the crew of the Gracious Wave had discovered her adrift on the Cloud Sea. Oh she knew much of the rest of the world, but her own life was lost to her. Annissa had compared it to being a newly Awakened Blade, but Kildare was Human through and through. No Core Crystal. Just scars.

“It’ll return eventually. Memory loss of this sort isn’t permanent.” Annissa always made certain to reassure Kildare. It felt unusual to have someone encouraging her in this manner. Never felt right. Kildare didn’t like the idea of relying on others, but she had no choice right now. There was nowhere else to go.

Finally after several minutes of treatment Annissa pulled away and fetched some ointments and fresh bandages. She gently applied the ointment to the burn tissue that stretched over most of Kildare’s body and face, then carefully wrapped it in clean bandages. Come the end of the day, before bed, Kildare would receive another round of treatment and fresh bandages. 

Although it was frustrating to rely on others, she couldn’t help but be thankful for the Captain and crew, despite how some of them protested. Past a few shocked looks at the beginning, no one commented on her appearance. As much as she could Kildare made sure to help with loading and unloading of goods and any daily necessities aboard the Gracious Wave. 

The ship was a truly enormous freight hauler attached to the back of a whale like Titan. The Titan’s size would have made it good living space were it not for its ether content. Like so many other Titans of similar types the ether it released from its body was non-conducive to the growth of plant life. As such it had been fashioned into a living and working space of a different kind. The Gracious Wave had a crew of three hundred and eighty-two people, but truthfully only forty or so of those did the work of shipmen. 

Ultimately, the Gracious Wave was a community. Some were in charge of cooking, some of cleaning, someone had assembled a set of greenhouses to grow crops, and others were in charge of teaching trades, making craft goods to sell, and so many other duties. A village floating upon the Cloud Sea, bound to no nation and no Trade Guild. Instead they traveled from place to place transporting goods or selling what they made or salvaged. The Gracious Wave couldn’t grow enough food to support everyone so they relied on trade and money made from their transportation business.

Kildare knew of no other place like it on Alrest. Perhaps if all of her memories returned she might know of others, but it seemed doubtful. Most Titans of this size supported life by themselves or were beholden to a large Titan’s nation. Mor Ardain, Uraya, or even Indol. Particularly those three. Each of those nations owned hundreds of other small to mid-sized Titans. 

When the bandages were safely in place Kildare finished dressing. Loose black trousers and a white button up shirt a size too big. It helped keep any of the fabric from unnecessarily dragging against her bandages. Some of the women on the ship had offered her dresses in her size, but she had refused. Clothes in this style were easier to work in and she was determined to earn her place. These people had saved her life after all.

“Thank you Annissa. If you do not mind I shall take my breakfast before reporting to my shift.” She inclined her head to the Blade in respect and the other woman beamed brightly at her, then reminded her to stop by at the end of the day.

Kildare trotted back to her room and fetched her socks and boots. As comfortable as it was to walk around barefoot her footing was more sure when on deck if she wore sturdy boots. With those in place she made her way to the mess hall and sat down to a simple meal. Kildare had no idea what kind of foods she liked, but the Gracious Wave offered such simple options that she had yet to be disappointed. Or impressed.

A few of the other crew members offered their greetings, but mostly Kildare kept to herself. It was hard to say if it was because she felt uncomfortable around them or they around her. Perhaps both. Even though they said nothing judgmental, Kildare didn’t like feeling eyes on her. If she looked up and saw pity on someone’s face it rankled fiercely. 

Towards the far end of the mess hall Kildare noticed a group of strangers. They were sitting at a table together talking and eating. A few of them wore the same style of clothes and had weapons, but they didn’t look like members of any military she knew of. Mercenaries perhaps. This must be the band of travelers that had paid for passage back when they docked with Gormott. The Gracious Wave was too large to use the official dock at Torigoth so they were forced to unload their cargo onto the back of the Titan and transport it into town manually.

The Captain, who acted more like a Mayor of sorts for the Gracious Wave, had accepted their request for transportation. If Kildare herself was any indication the man seemed to have a soft spot for out of place travelers. This bunch seemed to have no clear destination in mind and instead simply wanted to leave Gormott. Given what Kildare had heard had transpired there it was unsurprising as to why. The Captain likely thought they would settle on the ship.

Kildare herself was uncertain what she would do. Her life here the last few weeks lacked a sense of satisfaction. She craved a challenge. A task to struggle against and a goal to achieve, but work here was pure monotony. Not unpleasant, just repetitive and dull. Would her mind change when her memories returned? Would she stay or seek something different? Those were things Kildare hadn’t decided yet.

As she headed out onto the main deck she admired again the diversity of the Gracious Wave. Here she saw Urayans engaged in friendly conversation with Ardanians, there she saw some Indoline chatting with a few Nopon. There were even some Tantalese with those odd cross-shaped marks on their faces. Her memories made it unclear if those were tattoos that were a universal decoration or if their people were born with them. The Tantalese she had spoken to here were mum on the topic. Her fractured memories made it hard to be sure.

Perhaps the only nation not represented on the Gracious Wave was Leftheria. That was unsurprising. Leftheria had the smallest population of any of the large independent nations and their lifestyle already offered the freedom that people came to the Gracious Wave to seek out. Outside of work, what reason would Leftherians have for leaving their home?

Kildare only knew her own background to be Ardanian based on her accent. Her dark hair and brown eyes could have put her as being Leftherian, since Tantalese trended to reddish hair, but her accent was thoroughly Ardanian. Yet without memories of her past there was no way for her to know what life was like there. Had she enjoyed it? Hated it? 

Out of pure guesswork she had come to the conclusion that she was a working class citizen. Perhaps for one of Mor Ardain’s many factories. She had calloused hands from hard work and despite her slender frame she had taught practical muscle. Even with her injuries she was physically strong and didn’t get tired after difficult labor. If it weren’t for the pain and itching these days of hard work wouldn’t bother her at all. 

On deck she noticed a handful of men and women in the open play/practice area engaging in sword and spear drills. The Gracious Wave didn’t require its citizens learn self defense, but it did offer free lessons and encouraged the behavior. Pirates or privateers could be a problem for the unprepared and, due to its official status as a freight hauler the Gracious Wave was lightly armed for its size. One of the crew members had told her that the Nopon Trade Guilds often paid privateers to raid ships from rival guilds. Off the books of course.

Kildare had tried to take one of those lessons, but the moment she held a weapon in her hands she was consumed with visions of that blue fire surrounding her. She had abandoned the idea of learning from then on. Maybe when her memories returned, but for now even touching a weapon made her mind and body panic in terror.

She approached Yarvic, the Indoline man who ran her shift. “Good morning. Where do you need me today?”

Yarvic looked up from his clipboard and offered her a thin smile. He wasn’t the most enthusiastic man, but he wasn’t unpleasant either. “Good question. A little while ago our salvaging team picked up something large with our depth sensor. We’ll be coming up to its location shortly and the salvage team will be investigating it. In other words, you’re on standby for the moment.”

“I see. Is there any work that needs to be down in the meantime?” 

“Just relax and stay on hand in case we need you. Dividivi made it sound like whatever they picked up is enormous. This might turn out to be several days worth of salvage.” 

Kildare felt a little disappointed to discover there was nothing for her to do. So since she had no leisure activities she decided to simply go to the side of the boat and watch the Cloud Sea. That would be a relaxing activity that wouldn’t take her far away. If they needed her she would be there.

When she reached the railing she draped her arms over it and leaned out. The motion was a little painful as the railing pressed up against her semi-healed burns, but she had gotten used to that mild level of pain. It seemed strange to look out at a peaceful Cloud Sea, an ocean of endless white, knowing that just a few weeks before the Gracious Wave had found her floating on a thin sheet of metal, adrift after a rough storm. 

According to Massie, Kildare had been close to death when they discovered her and pulled her up onto the deck. Both the doctor and her Blade had been shocked to discover that Kildare was clinging to life despite more than half of her body being covered in severe burns. Luck, or perhaps Kildare’s own strength of will, had saved her. Kildare considered it a combination of both. No matter how strong her will to live might have been, had the Gracious Wave not stumbled upon her she would have certainly perished.

A few meters away someone came to stand by the railing in much the same way she was. One of the travelers they had picked up. A young man, perhaps several years younger than herself. Perhaps less or more. Annissa had estimated her age to be anywhere from twenty to thirty which was less than helpful. Kildare had taken the simplest route and decided that she would average it out and claim to be twenty-five. Some women might choose to call themselves younger, but this way seemed the most practical.

The young man gazed out at the Cloud Sea with a wistful expression on his face. His fingers tapped out a gentle rhythm on the metal railing. If it was intended to be a song it wasn’t one that Kildare recognized. These travelers really had picked the best place to come. Few vessels offering transportation had as decent accommodations for such a low fee. Kildare still felt certain it was because the Captain believed anyone on board long enough would adopt their way of life. 

“It’s quite lovely isn’t it.” Kildare looked over at the young man. She was surprised to hear him speak to her, but more shocked to hear his accent. That was a Tantalese accent if she didn’t miss her mark. She hadn’t thought the Tantalese could have such light hair as his, but perhaps his parents weren’t originally from Tantal. 

If he and his traveling companions were all Tantalese it would make a fair bit of sense. Tantal was an isolationist country where it was illegal to depart without the express permission of the crown. Likely this group, like the other Tantalese onboard, had fled to find a better life. 

It still felt odd, knowing all of these details of the world without knowing anything of her own past. There was no memory of learning about Tantal, but she still knew. Annissa had looked wistful when Kildare had first described the sensation. Understandable from a Blade. 

“Yes, I suppose it is. Even the Cloud Sea, despite its uniform color, has a fair bit of variation. Differing and changing shapes.” There were even people who made a habit of using the changes in the shapes of the Cloud Sea to tell fortunes. Useless pastime.

The young man smiled slightly and gestured into the distance. “The Cloud Sea as well, but I meant that.”

Kildare followed where he was pointing. There, in the distance, was the World Tree. The upper section constantly alight with a smattering of green glowing spots. Like stars amongst its leaves. “Hmmm, I’ve put little consideration into the World Tree. All the Titans circle it, but I wouldn’t have thought about it being pretty. I suppose from a certain point of view it is.”

She had no idea where this conversation was going. Idle chatter? With her current bandaged appearance it was unlikely he was flirting with her. In fact, she had no mental image of her unburnt appearance so it was impossible to say if she would have been considered attractive were it not for her injuries. Kildare didn’t suspect so. Even her voice didn’t fit a typically attractive woman. It was fairly deep for a woman and not in a manner most would call attractively husky. Authoritative perhaps, but attractive? She doubted it. 

The young man continued. “You know it’s rather strange. I stumbled upon a reference in a book referring to the World Tree as Yggdrasil, but I’ve not once heard anyone say that name out loud.”

“That’s because all the countries that used that name have long since sunk beneath the clouds, lost to time. Even several hundred years ago it was considered an archaic term. I doubt you’d find the name mentioned more than once in every thousand historical texts.” And yet she knew it.

“And the names of the Titans as well. They’re almost never used outloud or even in textbooks. Quite strange, don’t you think?” 

“Perhaps. It is true that most large Titans are referred to by the name of the country that resides on them. That’s long been the case. I suspect not referring to the Titans by name helps some people forget that they live upon a dying lifeform.” The only real exception was the Tantalese Titan Genbu. Many people of Tantalese background actively referred to their home as Genbu rather than Tantal. Cultural differences perhaps. It would make sense for someone from Tantal to find that fact strange.

“I heard it mentioned that the ship will be stopping for the salvagers to investigate something within the Cloud Sea.” Ah, perhaps he had merely been making idle conversation so he wouldn’t seem rude when asking this question.

“That’s correct.” Not that she knew more than that.

“I’ve not been down there. Beneath the clouds I mean. Have you?” He looked over at her curiously. There was no revulsion in his blue eyes. 

“Truthfully? I cannot say with absolute certainty whether the answer is yes or no. Whatever caused these injuries has stricken my memory. I remember nothing of my own past. Temporarily at least.” She hoped.

Abashed, he said, “I’m sorry. It wasn’t my intent to dredge up something painful.”

Kildare waved a hand dismissively. She felt the ship beginning to slow. They were likely coming close to their stopping spot. After that it would still take a while for the salvage team to perform their investigation. “Apology accepted. I would not have mentioned it had I considered it too painful to talk about. I suppose this must be what a Blade feels like.”

The young man rubbed at his chin in thought. “That’s a fascinating point of view. I haven’t had many opportunities to speak to a Blade. I’ve seen them in big cities, but even so they seem exceptionally rare. I wonder how many Drivers there are…”

“There are one thousand seven hundred and eighty-four registered Drivers as well as an estimated two to three hundred unregistered illegal Drivers.” The numbers rolled out as naturally as she breathed. It was always like that. Saying something or having a thought pop into her mind. Knowledge that she was unaware she possessed. 

He appeared excited by her revelation. “Well that’s exciting! If you know something like that, doesn’t that help narrow down what sort of person you were? Surely that information is known only to a select few.”

Kildare chuckled slightly. “Unfortunately those are numbers of public record for anyone curious enough to request them. All it really tells me is that I am that type of curious person.”

“Still, you learned something about yourself. I’ve always found curiosity to be an important trait. Curiosity leads to asking questions and there’s an interesting answer around every corner, even to the deepest mystery.” There was a pure unfiltered energy to his reaction. An honest energy. An exuberance for learning as it were.

“Perhaps so. I imagine my efforts to suss out details of my past will feel irrelevant when my memories return. According to the doctor and her Blade I should expect them to return suddenly rather than piecemeal. I do not mind the speculation though.” 

He tilted his head to one side as if considering something and then snapped his fingers as it came to him. “Drivers are registered, right?”

“Indeed.”

“If they’re registered I’d expect that pictures are included.” Kildare began to see where he was going.

“So you are suggesting that I search through the full list of nearly two thousand Drivers to see, if by some miniscule chance, I am among them? Drivers account for a fraction of a percent of the estimated population of Alrest. The chances are low and my face is...different than it was previously.” Still, the idea did have some merit. While tedious and having a low chance of success, if by some chance she was on that list finding her own name and picture among them might return her memories.

“No reason not to take the opportunity when you get it. A small percent chance is still greater than zero.” 

Kildare turned to watch as the salvage team lowered some equipment down into the Cloud Sea with a crane. Divers in full salvaging suits plunged into the water alongside the crane, set to explore whatever lay in the depths below. Perhaps the Gracious Wave would get an excellent haul out of this.

The young man followed her gaze to the departing salvage team. “Fascinating. This is my first time seeing the process up close. I wonder if they would be willing to teach me about it.”

“If you have a beer with them I suspect they would agree.” Salvagers were known to be a rowdy lot most of the time. Prone to drinking and boasting. 

“I’ve never been especially good at that kind of socializing.” He didn’t sound the least bit embarrassed admitting that. Kildare found she admired that sort of honesty.

“Perhaps this would be an opportunity to learn that as well.” The thought of a nice glass of wine after a troublesome day appealed to her, although the Gracious Wave had very little in the way of wine. Over indulging didn’t sound as pleasant. Just a single glass to wind down. Massie had informed her that she was not to drink alcohol until she was provided a clean bill of health.

Not far away the basic combat training course had wrapped up. There were intermediate and advanced classes as well, but those took place less frequently. The advanced class consisted primarily of sparring practice, sometimes against Massie and Annissa. Even an unexceptional Driver and Blade were formidable foes. 

The light haired youth, having turned his attention to those waiting on the salvagers, now leaned back up against the railing, propping his elbows on it. “If you were to discover yourself on the list of registered Drivers, what sort of Blade would you wish for? Or if not on the list, if it turned out you had the aptitude.”

Kildare had no idea why he had chosen this line of question, but she still felt no signs of malice or deception. He was just a naturally curious person it seemed. “What sort of Blade…”

The blue flame flashed before her eyes and her burned skin ached. With determination she forcefully stomped down that image. “Perhaps a Blade whose element is water. The type who is good at defending and supporting others.”

“Not a healing Blade or a Blade who specializes in direct combat?” Yes, those were the more popular types. Blades with few non-combat skills and lots of raw power were often called attacker or attack Blades. Obviously healers were ones who specialized in healing ether techniques, although sometimes there was overlap. Dedicated healers typically had the lowest level of ether reserves. In the middle and less desired were support or defense Blades, those with moderate power, decent attacking capability, but exceptionally strong ether barriers. Those who dreamed of becoming Drivers rarely pictured these defensive types as what they wanted. Perhaps they simply weren’t considered splashy enough.

“I would rather have a Blade who can aid and support me in everything that I do. It seems to me that a Driver with a defensive or support type Blade would act more closely as a partner to their Blade. Although that may just be how I imagine it.” It felt right though, saying that aloud.

“Hmmm, I like that way of thinking. I’ve asked quite a few people the same question, but rarely have I gotten an answer that felt like it had been thought out. Most people just have a general image in their mind.” The wind began to gust more strongly. Was a storm brewing?

Kildare decided to ask the expected follow up. It was only proper etiquette. “And if you were to become a Driver?”

“Oh I can’t. My companions and I all tried a while back with a Core Crystal we came across. Not a single one of us could resonate.” There was no sound of disappointment in his voice. 

“I am surprised to hear that all of you were willing to take the risk. One or all of you could have been seriously injured or killed.” Had it been curiosity on the part of these travelers or desperation? Was that what people who fled Tantal illegally were forced to do?

He laughed suddenly, bright and clear. “Well, we know that now. None of us had any idea of the risk at the time. Thankfully no one was really hurt.”

“You know that...now?” Even in the isolationist Tantal there were Blades. In fact, one of the tidbits that popped into her mind was that one of the world’s strongest Drivers was Tantalese. Perhaps common citizens simply were unaware.

“Yes, that’s right. You could say we were lucky that the situation didn’t go worse for us. Or unlucky since none of us were able to Awaken the Core Crystal.” 

A thought crossed her mind. “Do you still have that Core Crystal?” Some people, upon discovering they lacked the aptitude, chose to sell the core. Others kept it for future generations to try.

He nodded once. “It didn’t feel right, selling it off. I haven’t met many, but they’re people aren’t they? Like you and me. Some kind, some cruel, but people all the same.”

“That’s a rare attitude from a non-Driver. It is much more common for people to perceive Blades as tools or weapons.” Unfortunately. Kildare hoped that her current thoughts on Blades hadn’t developed because of her interaction with Annissa. Hopefully she had felt the same even before losing her memories.

“So I’ve heard. That seems a shame to me. Why, there was a Blade in Torigoth while I was there who made sure no one was hurt trying to resonate. They were having a recruitment drive or some such. If even a single Blade shows concern for others like that, they’re all alright in my book.” 

More likely the Gormotti Regiment had simply hired a healing Blade to reduce casualties so they had to pay out less in reparations. Still, there was no reason to spoil it for him. “Annissa has taken excellent care of me. She is quite a kind woman.”

“That’s the ship’s resident Blade?” Kildare nodded in the affirmative. “I haven’t met her. Hopefully I won’t need her services while we’re traveling with you.” 

“Indeed.” They lapsed into silence for a while. After a bit one of the salvagers bobbed up to the surface and was offered a helping hand back onto deck. Some quiet conversation took place and then one by one the other salvagers resurfaced.

They ran for more cylinders and Kildare heard someone mention that they needed to speak to the Captain. Sure enough one of the salvagers headed back into the ship itself, likely to get the Captain’s opinion.

Kildare noticed Yarvic motioning for her and saw that some of the other laborers on her shift were convening. Grateful for the opportunity to do something she offered a kind farewell to the young man and headed over.

Once everyone was assembled Yarvic began to explain the situation. “According to Dividivi the object his team uncovered appears to be a very old battleship from a non-extant nation. He is unfamiliar with the design, but believes that we lack the resources to fully raise the vessel itself. It seems to be completely intact.”

There were mutters amongst the laborer shift. A completely intact battleship from long ago. Such a find would be worth a fortune. Maybe more than one. Uraya and Mor Ardain paid quite a bit for military hardware and an entire battleship would more than raise eyebrows. It might be worth enough by itself to keep the Gracious Wave operating for years off of its sale.

Yarvic continued his explanation once they had quieted down. “Dividivi plans to offer three options to the Captain. The first, mark the location and sell the coordinates to either a Trade Guild or directly to Uraya or Mor Ardain.”

He raised his hand and ticked a second figure up. “Second, form a joint operation with one of the Trade Guilds so that we might properly raise the battleship out of the Cloud Sea and split the profits with them.”

The next finger came up. “Third, mark the location and repeatedly return to harvest parts and material from the battleship piecemeal. Each option has their pluses and minuses, but it’ll be up to the Captain which route we’ll take. If he chooses option three, we should be ready to help the salvage team with processing and hauling. There’s no reason they wouldn’t start today if that is the option the Captain chooses.”

From the sound of the responses it seemed that some of them were in favor of each option. Selling the location was quick and immediate profit with no labor involved. The second increased their profits, but would be a massive undertaking that would require a complicated contract and trust in one of the Trade Guilds. Option three was in the middle of the three in terms of profitability, but it was bound to take the longest period of time. It also opened them up to a Trade Guild or privateers tracking their route when they were discovered hauling military salvage repeatedly.

Kildare found herself speaking up. “And the fourth option?”

The others seemed confused, but Yarvic eyed her appraisingly. “Option four is that we completely ignore it and move on.”

None of them seemed to understand. They demanded to know why they would ever consider such a choice. Yarvic took their complaints calmly. He was an unexcitable man, but that made him a good shift leader. “Even in an open bid if we sell the battleship’s location one of the two major nations will end up seeing us as siding with the other. That could hamper our ability to freely travel and trade with the major countries.”

“A joint operation is complicated and costly, but ultimately would still require that the battleship be sold to one of the two great powers. The ultimate result remains the same. The Trade Guilds are hubs that all countries use. We don’t have that.”

“Slowly taking the battleship apart and selling it also puts us on those countries watch lists. Or we take a price cut and sell directly to the Trade Guilds. Even then, the gradual process puts us at risk of being attacked by pirates or privateers hired by the Guilds. Ultimately, the only completely safe route is to ignore it. A little bit of military hardware here and there is one thing, but this is above our level. We won’t come out of this unscathed if we choose any of the first three options.” Kildare felt Yarvic had summed the situation up quite nicely.

It was clear from their responses that none of the others had thought it that far through. They had imagined the money flowing in, but hadn’t considered the possibility of consequences. Most people didn’t consider how their actions might be impacted by geopolitics. 

The Trade Guilds had a distinct advantage of being legally neutral territory, allowing them to sell military supplies to all comers with no major ramifications. The Gracious Wave had no real legal standing except as a freighter. Effectively they were treated as a business operation rather than a country. The Captain had briefly explained to her that the Gracious Wave had attempted to get the other countries to acknowledge them as a small independent nation, but that they had been summarily ignored. Only Indol had even bothered to send a representative to hear them out. Yet without the support of at least one other major power Indol had been unwilling to acknowledge them.

Kildare suspected the major countries didn't deem it worth their time. The Argentum Trade Guild was the only one of the guilds to gain acknowledgement as a nation unto itself and most of the guilds represented more people and resources than the Gracious Wave did. 

She opened her mouth to ask another question, but was cut off by a sudden alarm going off. Everyone looked around in surprise. Because of the noise she had to get in close to ask Yarvic what was going on.

“Proximity alarm,” he said. “It means something is coming up from below the Titan!”

An alarm like that was traditionally used to detect attacking sea creatures, but could it possibly be…

People began shouting orders and panic reigned. Men and women rushed to lash crates into place while others grabbed weapons. The crew of the Gracious Wave knew the parts they had to play, but no one had told the travelers. All of them had come up on deck. 

Kildare herself was uncertain what to do. No one had covered this situation with her yet. 

Towards the edge of the boat the salvaging team were swiftly hauling up the crane so it could be secured. Just as it came up out of the water something else joined it. A small black craft, suitable for a few people, had broken the surface of the Cloud Sea. 

A hatch at the top opened up and two figures leapt out from it, landing upon the deck. One of them was a man with wavy blonde hair, dressed in red and black armor with a high collar. The other was a hulking Blade with a broad upper body, long thick red hair flowing from the sides of its head, and a golden helm over its face with horns and tusks. Upon its arms were huge metal gauntlets with purple markings. 

The blonde man, surely a Driver, swept a hand through his hair in an exaggerated fashion and flipped it dramatically. “What an unfortunate set of circumstances! To think that in this wide Cloud Sea anyone would actually stumble across the Marsanes. Unfortunate that is, for all of you.”

Crew members lined up with swords, spears, axes, and even a few with rifles. Kildare found that, despite the strange circumstances, she was unafraid. One of the men on the crew raised a spear up toward the Driver and responded. “You don’t belong here! We don’t want any trouble!”

The Driver chuckled wryly. “Sad to say you’ve found a lot of it. Jin would be upset with me if I didn’t protect the Marsanes’ location to the best of my ability. So, like I said, unfortunately for you that means Cressidus and I will have to kill each and every last one of you.”

The Blade slammed his gauntlets together and then spread his arms wide, bellowing out a cry of challenge. The Driver nudged his Blade with his elbow. “See, Cressidus is all hyped up for a good fight! I thought about just sinking your ship with the Marsanes weapons, but wasting a ship of this quality? I bet I can harvest some great parts. You won’t mind after you’re dead, right?”

A rifle shot cracked through the breezy air and slammed uselessly into an ether barrier. “That’s more like it. Fight for your life. Not like it’s gonna help, but what else can you do?”

Despite its size the Blade, Cressidus, barreled forward with shocking speed. One of its large gauntlets rammed into the gut of the crew member who had fired the rifle. The raw force of the blow lifted the man off the ground and sent him hurtling up several meters into the air. He crashed down midway across the deck with a sickening crunch.

Gunfire filled the air as everyone panicked and started firing. The Blade passed one of the gauntlets to his Driver and the two waded into combat, brute forcing their way past their enemies. Normal swords and spears shattered when they struck those hardened gauntlets and each blow from one of those weapons crushed flesh and bone with equal ease.

Someone called for Massie and Annissa. Kildare realized they were right. If anyone were to stand a chance against a Driver and Blade it would be another Driver and Blade. Yet she couldn’t take her eyes off the fighting. The man’s movements were superb, his skill level was high and he had clear experience in lethal combat. There were momentary flashes in her eyes of that blue fire, but even as that sensation came and went she couldn’t wrench her gaze away. It was as if her mind and body knew the beats and rhythm of battle. 

Kildare’s eyes drifted down to her calloused hands. _‘Are these really the hands of a factory worker? Or perhaps I was…’_

The blonde Driver was suddenly in front of her, his gauntlet raised. “Looks like you were already having a tough time of it missy, but...sorry, just bad luck.”

He swung the gauntlet down and…

Someone jumped in between her and the Driver. That gauntlet clanged heavily into the newcomer’s large shield, the force of it driving the man backwards into Kildare. The two of them slid backwards nearly a meter before stopping. 

The Driver paused, looking a little surprised. “Well, looks like there’s at least one person here with a little fight in them.”

The man who had defended her rolled his right arm and then clicked something on the handle of his shield, causing a long blade to extend out from the front. “More than a little! We’re just gettin’ started!”

Cressidus rushed in from the side, but was blasted in the shoulder by some sort of ether shot. Kildare looked and saw another blonde man in the unusual clothing most of the travelers wore taking aim again with a fancy rifle of a design she didn’t recognize. “Drive them back! I won’t accept any more loss of life!”

The young man who had spoken to her earlier rushed over. “We should probably take shelter. Let them take it from here.”

Cressidus raised his arms into the air and conjured a ball of stone nearly as large as his body, lowered it in front of him, and then punched it dead center. The boulder shattered and sprayed splinters of rock across the deck like buckshot from a shotgun. Screams split the sky as that ether created rock crushed bones and pierced into innocent bodies. 

Above them the sky began to darken as a storm rolled in. Rain began to drizzle down upon them, steadily picking up in intensity. Kildare wanted to run and seek shelter, but a part of her deep down demanded that she stay. No, not stay. Join the fray. Fight, defeat the foes laid out in front of her. Suddenly she realized that she had stretched her hands out to her sides as if prepared to grip a weapon that wasn’t there. Her body had moved on instinct.

_‘Is this really who I am? Someone who fights? Or am I someone who flees?’_

The burns on her flesh throbbed as rain began to sting and pelt her. The young blonde man tried to tug at her arm, but she refused to budge. He must think she was stock still, stunned and unable to move. Yet that couldn’t be farther from the truth. If she moved she was certain she would attack her opponent. Unarmed. Like a fool.

The Driver effortlessly dodged or blocked attacks from the man with the bladed shield, looking like he was having the time of his life. Kildare recognized a moment where the shield user had overcommitted and the Driver saw it as well. A swift back hand with that tremendous gauntlet sent his opponent flying back into the railing. “Not bad for a normal Human, but a Driver is a different breed altogether.”

Casually he raised that gauntlet to defend against a blast of ether in the shape of a mostly translucent sphere. Massie had exited onto the deck and held a long white barrelled ether cannon. Annissa trailed behind her, arms outstretched to supply a steady flow of ether. The Driver smacked another similar shot to the side. “Is that all you can muster? That’s a real shame. Still, if there’s a Blade here I guess I’ll be able to give a little gift to Patroka. Although...maybe you’re beneath her standards.”

Cressidus was being hit by a barrage of ether shots from those odd rifles, wielded by a handful of those strange travelers. Yet he pushed forward seemingly unharmed. They simply couldn’t dish out enough damage to hurt his bulky frame. When he reached them he clapped his hands together, creating a shockwave that knocked them backwards. “You’ll have to get up and eat a hearty breakfast every day if you want to beat me!”

_‘A...hearty breakfast?’_

The shield wielding man rejoined the fight, clearly moving slower thanks to the damage he had taken. He was aided by Massie’s careful attacks with her ether cannon, but none of it seemed to be phasing that Driver. 

The rain was truly pouring now, pounding down upon the deck. In spots that clear liquid ran red with blood. The blood of the innocent crew members of the Gracious Wave. These people who had taken her in, an injured near useless burn victim with no memory. They had been willing to give her a place. A home without judgment. And this Driver and his Blade were just trodding all over them!

Kildare shoved the young man tugging at her arm aside and rushed to the railing where the big man with the shield had crashed. Sure enough, the railing was bent and damaged. Carefully she planted one foot against the deck and the other up on a weak spot of the railing. Then she grabbed the loosened end and tugged with all of her strength. Her muscles protested, but the railing bent, cracked, and then broke free. Now in her hand she held a slender piece of metal railing with a jagged end.

No. Now she held a weapon. It felt right in her calloused hands.

Kildare charged in and gracefully ducked under a blow from the Driver, slid on her knees on the now rain slick metal deck, and then stabbed upwards at the man’s gut. He stepped back, but it slashed across his ribs. Barely doing damage, but it did draw blood. He looked down at her, not with shock in his eyes, but with amusement. “Hey, that’s not bad.”

Faster than she would have expected he moved in close, knocking the man with the shield aside with a single well placed blow. He was inches from her, looking carefully at her face. Kildare switched her grip and stabbed again with the railing. His gloved hand caught it and squeezed, crumpling the metal with the strength only a Driver or Blade could muster. “Say, without those bandages I bet you’re pretty cute.”

His foot caught her in the stomach, lifting her up off the ground and hurling her across the deck, bouncing and rolling. It felt like something had cracked or broken. The new injury barely ached compared to the searing pain of her burnt skin that had impacted the metal repeatedly. 

Without looking the Driver threw her section of railing to the side. It pierced into the shield user’s thigh and he dropped to one knee, letting out a howl of pain. 

The men with the rifles were bloodied and making a limping retreat from the battle to gain some distance. The Blade himself had closed in with Massie and had batted the ether cannon out of her hand and with his large hands he pressed the Driver and Blade up against the door that led back into the innards of the Gracious Wave. He was crushing the life out of them.

Everything had crumbled. Her attempt to be a warrior had failed. The ship’s saviors were no match for an experienced Driver and Blade. Massie and Annissa would be dead in moments. Across the deck she saw the bodies of Yarvic and Dividivi and so many others she recognized. People she had spoken to or shared a meal with or worked side by side with. Decent people. Good people. Dead. And she had thought she could be a hero?

A figure in red appeared above her. The blonde man. He leaned down to help her up and in that moment she saw it. Protruding from an interior pocket of his red vest was a glow. A light that could come from only one thing. Kildare reached up as if to take his hand, but instead she grasped salvation. She tugged it free and out it came, a shining Core Crystal. Brilliant and pure.

Along with it tumbled a second Core Crystal, also brimming with light. A Core Crystal that glowed with an acidic yellow color. No memory struck her. Core Crystals were blue. If they weren’t ready to resonate they were a dark grayish black color. Yet this crystal, this thing, was yellow. It thrummed with life. It called to her. She felt something in the air. Like a heartbeat.

The rain plastered her hair to her face. The loose hair tie had come undone and her hair was a mess. Her bandages were dirtied and soaked through. Some of her semi-healed skin had broken and started to bleed, further staining the bandages. Yet in that yellow Core Crystal she felt power and life. 

Less than a second hand passed, yet it seemed an eon. Her hand latched onto that core a moment before its owner could. There was a ripple, a massive pulse of energy, and that heartbeat pounded louder in her ears. Kildare heard a scream that seemed to pierce into her very soul.

There was a silence so loud and all encompassing that Kildare was certain she had died. The wet and bloody deck of the Gracious Wave was gone. Her hair and clothes were dry, her bandages unstained. She stood upon the air itself, poised high above an endless sea.

Yet this was not the Cloud Sea that she knew. It was an endless sea of blue. Nothing save water, which stretched as far as the eye could see. She stood in the clouds, but above none. 

**“Welcome child.”**

Kildare whirled around, but saw no sign of the voice. It seemed to reverberate throughout her body. That voice was kind, but struck her as ancient. As ancient as the World Tree. There was something within the voice that felt inevitable. There was no surprise in her having been welcomed. It was a statement of fact. She was welcome, because she had always been intended to end up here.

She shook the thought from her mind. There was something strange about that line of thought, but she could not properly place it. “Who are you? Where are you?”

**“Your eyes cannot yet perceive me though I am present. I am the soul that touches yours. My name is your name.”**

“You...are also called Kildare?” Was that what the voice meant? That didn’t seem right. What was she not understanding?

**“Is that your name?”** Somehow it did not seem to be a question.

“It is.”

**“Are you certain?”** Kildare felt her heart throb and those blue flames flashed before her eyes. Her burns ached in time with the shifting of that fire.

“I…”, Kildare found that she did not know how to answer.

She felt as if something invisible caressed her body gently. A cool, yet pleasant breeze. The pain from her wounds receded. **“You have taken great wounds. It is truly a pity, to mar such a perfect specimen. Shall I heal you?”**

A spark of hope filled her. “You would be willing to do that? Can you? My body? My mind?”

**“The hurt your body has received can be undone, washed away like refuse in the tide. That which stripped away your memory cannot be unwound save with time. Yet I can fill those gaps.”**

“Fill the gaps? With what?”

**“With me.”**

“I don’t understand. You...want to give me your memories?”

**“I wish for you to go forth with my power. If you possessed great power, what would you do with it?”**

What would Kildare do with power? Did she need power? Did she want it?

Those blue flames haunted her. Those elegant hands in the fire. It called to her. It terrified her. 

“I would find the one who took my memory. The one who hurt me. Who made my life a cycle of pain and humiliation. Of weakness. I would uncover them and…”

**“And?”**

The answer whispered to her. “I would kill them! The Blade of Blue Flames! I will kill them!”

**“Then grasp my power. Join with me and go forth unto this world.”**

“Are you...a Blade?” Was this the process of resonance? That moment of time in between the beginning and when the Blade truly Awakened? Was this what all Drivers bore witness to?

**“I am you and you are me. Now, go forth!”**

“What must I do?”

**“Stretch out thine hand!”**

Kildare reached out and…

The blue sea was gone. She stood upon the deck of the Gracious Wave, hand outstretched. For the briefest of moments the rain stopped and searing white flame erupted from the palm of her hand. 

The flame coalesced into a long broadsword made of a pure white metal, lined around the edges in dark blue. A spiraling pattern like flame was etched across the sides of the blade in black. Just above the hilt of the sword was a missing section, an empty circle. Blue light pulsed and appeared in the center of that empty circle, forming a symbol that she didn’t recognize. An unknown character of some strange and perhaps forgotten language.

She lashed the sword to the side and the edges roared with a yellow light that encompassed the razor sharp blade. It filtered throughout the weapon and it split apart into sections, extending out and coiling up like a serpent. A segmented sword that could stretch and retract with a mere thought. 

The rain poured down upon her, crackling as it struck that sword. No Blade stood at her side or behind her, yet her body shrieked with power. Boiled with it until it felt her bones would pop and crack from the pressure. Her bandages burned away, her flesh pristine and healed. Her hair flared out behind her wild and untamed, the pure white flame igniting at the ends. Her hair was aflame, but it did not burn or smoke. The edges of her sleeves and the ends of her pant legs smoldered as she walked towards the Driver who had been slaughtering the people of this kind vessel.

She was vaguely aware of the boy who had possessed that yellow Core Crystal staring at her in something akin to awe or horror. Off to the side the Blade dropped Massie’s limp body to the ground, a silent Core Crystal tumbling to the ground next to her.

That Driver looked upon her not with awe or horror or fear, but with piqued interest. “Well look at that. I was right. You clean up real nice. So pretty lady, what’s your name?”

Oh, that was right. Her name. A voice whispered in her hand, filled with joy. The voice from above that endless blue sea. **“Now go! Swing the blade to your heart’s content!”**

She raised her hand and the sword lashed out, slicing through the rain and the metal deck of the Gracious Wave with equal ease. The white energy that coated it purified and annihilated all that it touched. With this power she could overwhelm this Driver. With this power she could obliterate every trace of the Blade of Blue Flame. 

“I am…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm very curious to see people's reactions. This marks the end of the "Chapter". Next time we'll start the next "Chapter".


	21. Without Weakness [Chapter Four: Flesh Eaters]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Four: Flesh Eaters

4006 

Patroka knew this was her first Awakening. It was the only time she could possibly know that. The corpse of the Titan that had contained her Core Crystal was only just now starting to dissipate from where it had washed up on the shore of Gormott. Her Driver had stumbled across the Titan while going to haul in some fishing nets.

“So why did you make the gamble of trying to Awaken me?” 

Her Driver shrugged. “The war is already starting. The noble houses are offering a lot of money to Drivers willing to defend the homeland so I thought I’d give it a go. I’m gonna have to fight anyway so I figured…”

Patroka rolled her eyes. “Are you kidding me? You risked your life for the chance at making some extra cash? Are you stupid or something?”

“I figured there’s a pretty big possibility that I’ll die in the war. We don’t stand much of a chance against Mor Ardain. So if I died trying to Awaken a Blade then I’m as dead as if I were shot by an Ardanian soldier. But if I succeeded, maybe I might make it out alive. Better going into battle with a Blade at my side than alone.”

“Can’t fault your logic there.” 

And so her Driver hauled in the nets and Patroka was led back to his village. From there he brought his catch into the market. Then, when all was said and done, they began a hike to the closest city, Torigoth. He had considered trying to make the trek up to White Chair, but had decided that it was too far and too cold. 

In Torigoth he officially offered his services as a retainer to one of the Gormotti Noble Houses. It was that or face forced recruitment for lower pay. This way, if they distinguished themselves in the war, her Driver stood a chance of rising in society. Maybe even gaining nobility. 

Together they were plunged into a quick, but brutal training regiment. Within weeks they were thrown into war. Those first few battles weren’t military actions. They were raw violence. No one in Gormott was prepared to lead and guide the disorganized masses. Instead they used the brute force of their assembled Drivers and Blades and hurled them at the Ardanian soldiers.

At first Patroka had been excited by the prospect of a good fight. The idea of engaging in a life or death battle, pitting her strength up against an opponent’s seemed incredible. The sort of thing that would get your blood pumping. Instead there was no real challenge, no skill, just a frenzy of action. No engaging in direct combat where you tested each other’s skills back and forth until the best one came out on top. Instead she almost mindlessly cut down soldiers who stood no chance against her. Soldiers with guns and steel were no match for the power a Blade could wield.

It all seemed so meaningless. 

By the fifth battle the Gormotti nobles had figured out a system to separate Drivers and Blades into small tactical units that served different purposes. Somehow Patroka found that she and her Driver had been assigned as leaders of a unit of five pairs, including themselves. Akatsuki, Theory, Vess, and Nia.

Patroka thrived as their commander. She delighted in coordinating them, of stifling squabbles, and issuing commands. Making sure they kept nice and orderly in and out of battle. A messy tent meant a sloppy soldier. 

The battles became bloodier, but more interesting. Individual soldiers still didn’t let her test her skills, but leading their surgical attack unit would do. Getting their differing personalities and skill sets to move in the necessary ways to accomplish their goals...it was exhilarating. 

All that was missing was the downtime to spar with her team. Her bones ached and her muscles throbbed, something in the back of her mind telling her that she had to test her physical skills against theirs. Testing her mind as a leader wasn’t enough. She wanted to fight weapon to weapon with other Blades. 

Akatsuki didn’t interest her. He was great for slipping in and out of groups of soldiers, hamstringing priority targets and disrupting their line, but in one on one combat his movements were predictable to her eye.

Theory was fast, agile, and truly lethal. Her katana would slide in and out of its sheath almost faster than her eyes could follow. What she lacked in brute force she made up for with speed. Yet seeing her in combat Patroka could already tell how to defeat her. She had bad habits, openings in her attack pattern that a skilled opponent could exploit. Even after Patroka told the petite woman about them she proved unable to make corrections. A normal foe would be no match, but for someone like Patroka it would be only a mild challenge.

Vess’ control of her Bitball was impressive. The unusual angles she could attack from made her interesting to observe and useful for taking out distant targets to gain the element of surprise in battle. However, she lacked the interest to truly hone her skill to greatness. There was no lust for battle there. Still, it would probably be fun to fight her at least once.

It was the fox-eared Blade Nia who caught her eye. Not Nia’s Driver. Nia herself. She was most effective when her Driver just got out of the way. At first Patroka didn’t understand why she was drawn to Nia’s fighting. Nia lacked Theory’s speed or Vess’ strange and unpredictable weapon. She wasn’t physically strong or packing a ton of ether. None of them had huge ether reserves. That’s why they were a precision target removal squad, not frontline combatants. 

Nia wasn’t unskilled. Far from it. The more battles they went through the more convinced Patroka became that Nia had the most potential of her squadmates. Aside from Patroka herself of course. Battle after battle was honing her into a relentless warrior. Blades had natural skill with their weapon from the moment of their Awakening, but not all grew. Theory being unable or unwilling to fix her openings was one such example.

When Patroka spotted a mistake Nia made and pointed it out, the other woman corrected it. If she or her Driver took an unnecessary injury in battle, she took steps to correct the issue. Nia grew from each battle. 

More importantly she had a dangerous violent streak that continued to build. Patroka didn’t know if the others could tell, but she saw it. At the beginning Nia had repeatedly made requests to transfer to the rear lines to act as healing support. It was understandable. Whenever Patroka saw Nia heal someone that was when the Blade seemed truly alive. She had a passion for her craft. It brought her joy.

After a while Patroka stopped delivering her requests for transfer. She couldn’t help it. If Nia was away from the front lines Patroka wouldn’t be able to see what she could become. Gradually that love of healing began to fade away. As it faded, as her smile when she healed grew weaker and weaker, her skill in battle rose. Her strikes landed with greater precision, her water ether more expertly stripped flesh from bone. 

There was a monster building inside of Nia day by day. Patroka couldn’t let Nia leave. She had to see that monster come out. She wanted to see Nia’s brutality. To see her true strength. Then, when all of this was over, Patroka could fight her. A brawl that would be a true test of her skill. They were Blades so no matter how much they cut and stabbed and broke each other, they would be able to get back up and do it again.

Patroka wanted to fight Nia. As the war raged on that became the most important thing to her. The goal that kept her going. She could keep Nia’s rage and hatred bubbling just beneath the surface. Poke at it. Prod at it. Make it simmer. When it finally hit the bursting point it would be a thing of beauty.

Patroka wanted to fight Nia. That was all it was. Yet when she took her Driver to bed the night after an especially brutal battle it was Nia’s face she saw. She wanted to be challenged on the battlefield. In the tent. In life. Humans just weren’t up to the challenge. They were too weak. Too frail. Not like Patroka. But Nia was like Patroka. She was strong. That’s why Patroka wanted to fight Nia. Just fight her. Nothing else.

As the days dragged on Patroka’s denial began to ring hollow. She knew what she told herself wasn’t true, but she didn’t understand it. She did want to fight Nia, desperately so, but she wanted to argue with her just as much. None of it made sense. Looking at Nia didn’t inspire any lust within her. It was men she was physically attracted to, even if most of her partners were boring. 

Patroka decided that she would just have to wait and see what Nia was like when that tipping point came. Maybe then she would understand her own heart and mind. 

Then that fateful night came. The sirens blared and the orders came in. Her Driver passed along the report. A large force of Ardanian troops and the Blades the Empire had finally committed to the struggle. At last they would have a fight that would be a real challenge. A battle where she might prove her worth and test her skill in combat.

After the report came in Patroka could see something building up within Nia. An expression she recognized. Yet the woman wasn’t ready to fall over the edge yet. What she needed was a few more good pushes. Patroka moved in close to speak directly to Nia.

“It’s okay to be mad. It’s okay to be furious. But don’t let hate overtake you. The Humans hate each other and kill each other for little to no reason, but we can be better than them. We have to be. Fight to defend our homes and our lives, but don’t hate them.” Nia didn’t consider this her home. Why would she? Patroka knew that from previous conversations. She didn’t want platitudes. She wanted out. She wanted to hate and keep hating.

“Why not?,” snapped Nia. “They just keep coming and killing us and sending their own people into battle like it’s a bloody meat grinder. Because the Humans are greedy? Because they’re vain? Stupid? And we have to fight for them why? Because this is our home? Our home? All any of us has ever known is war! Is our home Gormott because we were Awakened here? Why should that have our loyalty? We fight because we have no choice. Because we’re their slaves!”

Patroka felt a shudder of happiness run through her. It was wonderful to see Nia like this. Every time she saw Nia snap at someone all she could think was that this Blade was wasted on Humans. Nia needed someone like Patroka. Only a Blade like Patroka could be a match for a Blade like Nia. But Blades can’t be Drivers. A shame.

She pulled Nia off to the side, away from the others even as gunfire rattled off. She moved in close until their faces were nearly touching. If she were to close that distance and suddenly kiss Nia, would the other Blade slap her? A part of Patroka craved that. “Don’t hate them because you’re better than them. We all are. They say Blades need Drivers to survive, but the door swings both ways.”

Nia needed another push. She needed hope. “I can’t speak for anyone else, but I won’t force you into any further battle. Let’s finish this fight and then when the chaos is settled down I’ll see what I can do to get you stationed strictly in the med tents. Okay?”

There was hope in Nia’s eyes as she said, “Alright. I can’t promise I won’t hate them, but I’ll try.”

Patroka couldn’t help the smile that broke out on her face. Nia was so close. It would be beautiful. After this battle Patroka would tell the other Blade how command had rejected Patroka’s request. That Patroka had pressured them, but still they refused. That hope turned to despair...that might be enough to bring out Nia’s true strength.

If it happened on the battlefield would Patroka be able to keep herself from fighting Nia then and there? A problem for another time. 

Now it was time to begin the battle.

They followed the plan that had been presented to them and cut a hole into the center of the attacking force seeking out the enemy Blades, but the Ardanian troops were prepared. Patroka and her squad had been duped, the enemy opening up to let them in only to close that hole and surround them. Enemies on all sides.

Patroka and her Driver called out commands as all of them fought with their full fury. It was a wonder to behold. Her team, minus the now deceased Akatsuki, was fighting at their peak. She had never seen them so excellent as they fought for their very lives. Yet it was a losing battle. Bit by bit they were worn down. It was impossible for the eight of them to keep up against so many enemies. 

It was impossible to count how many they had cut down, but it was never enough. Even with her regenerative abilities Patroka could feel her muscles growing watery. All of them were running painfully low on ether and their Drivers were flagging, pushed beyond their physical limits.

They had been unable to maintain a secure formation because they were constantly hounded by enemies. If they could just return to a proper formation they might be able to make a break for it and escape. They were so close…

That was when the enemy Blades arrived. Three fresh and unblemished Drivers and their Common Blades. Under normal circumstances Patroka was certain she could defeat any of them, but with her ether nearly bled dry? “Damn it...this is pissing me off...if they would just fight fair…”

What a ridiculous thought. Drivers and Blades fighting normal people was unfair. This wasn’t a contest of skill despite how much she might want it to be. This was war. Cruel, unfair, and without a shred of mercy.

Her Driver held out his hand to her. “The Cobra Bardiche. Pass it to me. We’re going to give our team the opportunity they need.”

She had never seen him look so determined. Yet there was a darkness in his eyes. Some frightening blend of hope and despair. “What’s your plan?”

Patroka passed him the weapon and he began to draw further upon her ether. “Hey...that’s a little too much. We’re both at our limits.”

He looked back over his shoulder. “You’re strong Patroka. The strongest woman I know. Give me everything. Every ounce of power you’ve got. We’ll crush them!”

“Everything?”

He nodded, resolute and determined. “Everything.”

Patroka flashed him a blood-stained toothy grin, a cut across her face dripping into her mouth. “Oh absolutely!” She raised an arm and began to pour ether into him. More. More. More. Until her body began to scream in protest. One of her legs buckled and her right knee hit the ground.

Her Driver roared like a savage beast and hurled himself against the enemy Drivers. Empowered by the new influx of ether he batted aside the enemy’s guard and cut the Driver down in a single downward strike of her bardiche. 

He sent a whirlwind of rocks hurtling around the battlefield, pelting their enemies and forcing them away. Out of the corner of her eye Patroka saw their squad forming back up now that they had a second of reprieve. _‘Go! Kill them all!’_

This was perfect. This was everything that needed to happen. She was strong. She was relentless. With her power they could win! Her Driver attacked the next enemy Driver and Blade, intent on defeating another one. 

Pain flooded her senses and her consciousness teetered on the brink. But she was strong. Invincible. This was her moment. _‘I...can...win…’_

She heard a whimper. Odd. That was her voice. She was shuddering and spasming. Tears dripped down her face, intermingling with the blood from her wound. The pain was building and building, a terrible crescendo. She could do more. Give more. She was Patroka. Strong. Untouchable! 

All she would have to do to win this battle and get them all out was take the next step forward. Her body was made of a complex structure of ether particles. That was what Nia had said, right? She just had to draw on that. It would hurt, but she could do it. 

_‘Do it! Take it! Win!’_ The ether pouring out of her built higher and...there was no more to give. It was like there was a wall of agony standing between her mind and her body. All she had to do was push past that pain and terror and she would be able to give her Driver everything she had. But she didn’t know how!

No. That was a lie. She was simply afraid.

In that moment of admission Patroka lost the link, her internal ether expended. The last bit of tension that had been keeping her up slipped away and she crumbled to the ground, her body limp and useless. There was barely any pain when her forehead collided with the ground. 

In the end what had she been? A fool? A blowhard? If she had just been able to push past that wall…

_‘You coward...you worthless piece of shit...move...move...move...get up you weakling!’_

The last thing she heard, moments after her Driver was impaled by a multitude of steel bayonets, was her own voice. Whimpering.

\------------------

Patroka’s Driver, Charis, was bickering with her brother Chares again. This time it was over who got the last portion of the meal Patroka and Chares’ Blade Akhos had made. Akhos always ate less than the rest of them. She swore he left food in the pot specifically to draw out an argument. He probably thought it made for good writing material.

Who Akhos thought was going to read his shitty plays was a question the idiot never seemed to have an answer for. The country of Tantal was closed off to the rest of the world and there were few people of great wealth. Sometimes people gathered together to watch outdoor shows, but mostly bad comedies with lots of gags. Not the sort of sappy morose nonsense Akhos liked to write about. 

Chares encouraged Akhos to pursue his talents. Charis mostly seemed to agree with Patroka, but the young woman was nicer about it. Patroka held nothing back when scolding Akhos. Especially since his purchases of pens, ink, and paper was a useless drain on their limited funds. 

Inevitably they would just end up back in the Snow Drifts again, hunting wild beasts for food and seeking treasure. There were a lot of destroyed stone structures or dilapidated towns in Tantal. Charis and Chares dreamed of finding some great treasure that would let them rise to fame and riches. Patroka thought it was an idiotic pipe dream.

Fighting some of the monsters that resided outside of the towns and the one large city, the capital of Theosoir, was the most fun Patroka could hope for. Most of them were big and dumb, but some were so terrifyingly powerful that even a pair of Drivers and Blades didn’t stand a chance. There was one particular monstrosity that liked to sneak in from where it roamed outside of Genbu’s body on rare occasions to consume large prey, typically the massive Squood. Cloud Sea King Ken was feared by most, but revered by some of the populace. It was ridiculous. It was just a giant tentacle monster after all.

Finally sick of the two Humans bickering she grabbed the pot, poured its contents into her own bowl, and went to town on the stew with her own spoon. The Humans glowered at her, but ended up breaking down laughing. Ugh. It always happened like this.

Afterwards Charis joined Patroka where she sat upon a rocky outcropping. “So,” her Driver said. “Are you ready for some more treasure hunting?”

“Yeah, I guess. I don’t know why you still think it’ll amount to anything.” Patroka knew the real answer. It was because they didn’t have anything else. It was that thing people clung to. Hope. 

“I just have faith that the Architect has a plan for us.” Charis smiled that fake ass smile of hers. 

“And that plan involves treasure?”

“Yep! Now come on, let’s go!” Patroka let herself be dragged along behind her Driver. Not too far away Chares and Akhos were waiting. 

Akhos adjusted his red glasses as they approached. “Oh good, the last actors have arrived. We can move on to the next scene!”

“How many times have I told you to quit that shit?”, snapped Patroka.

“Clearly not enough Patroka. Shall we?” He materialized his bow into his hands and began to trot down towards their next destination, Chares keeping in step with him. Charis followed after them, forcing Patroka to join in. 

An hour later they had cleared out the small camp of Garlus that had taken over the broken down stone structure. The furry bipeds with their wide branching antlers were crudely intelligent, although less so than Tirkin. They were incapable of traditional speech, but were able to use crude weapons and make fires. Give ‘em a few thousand more years and maybe they’d be running Tantal. They were certainly more acclimated to Genbu’s shitty frozen body than the Humans were. 

Patroka set to work skinning and dismantling the bodies of the Garlus. Their meat was generally too tough to be tasty, but butchers in Theosoir still paid a pretty penny for it. Made for decent jerky, good for keeping a long time. More important was the Garlus’ pelts. The stuff was warm and cozy. People paid a lot for it, but typically only Drivers and Blades were willing to take on the beasts. 

While Patroka did the actually profitable work the other three searched the ruins for any signs of treasure. Oh they had dug stuff up in the past, but none of it of any real value. Usually trinkets from long abandoned homes that had gotten buried by years of snowfall. Genbu’s awful circulation made for brutally cold weather nearly year round. Even stone buildings like those in this ruin succumbed to the climate over time. Especially when people left and no one remained to maintain it.

When Patroka was halfway done with her job she heard Akhos make a grand exclamation. “Behold!,” he proclaimed like the obnoxious git he was. “I’ve made a discovery!”

Charis and Chares rushed over to see what he had uncovered. Bored, Patroka looked up from her bloody work to see what Akhos had found. Probably broken plates or something.

Akhos lifted something up out of the hole he had dug in the snow. A stone box as large as Akhos’ chest. It would have been almost impossible for a Human to move, but Akhos hauled it up with only moderate effort. He set it down on the flattest portion of nearby snow and ice then set about working the top of the box off.

The electric Blade began setting item after item onto the ground. Medical tools it looked like. Scalpels, glass and stone vials, not to mention all sorts of stuff that Patroka didn’t recognize. Chares leaned over their findings and whistled. “I think this place was some sort of medical lab.”

Next Akhos set not one, not two, but four Core Crystals out in a little line. He inspected them each carefully, giving his impression. “The first one had the center drilled out and it looks like they tried to put something into it and then reseal it, but it was broken.”

He held up the second one. “This one there’s a barely hidden line where it was cut in half and then they attempted to connect it back together.”

The third wasn’t the usual grayish black of an inactive or dead Core Crystal. Instead it was black, grey, and red with sections that appeared to have decayed. “I haven’t a clue what happened to this one. What could turn a Core Crystal red let alone have it decay as if it were flesh?”

Charis and Chares began to pass questions back and forth between each other as they considered the options. Patroka scoffed. Neither of them knew a thing about medicine or how Core Crystals worked. Hell, even as a Blade Patroka didn’t think she really understood how Core Crystals worked. They popped out of dead Titans and then certain Humans could Awaken the Blades within. What else was there?

Akhos balanced the fourth Core Crystal atop a single fingertip. This last one had a tiny light hidden deep at the center as if it were ready to resonate, but the glow didn’t encompass the entire crystal. Similar to the third one it had splotches of red threaded throughout its structure. “How strange. It’s as though the life has slowly faded from this Core Crystal. It isn’t dead, but I doubt the Blade within could be Awakened.”

Charis called back over to Patroka. “Should we try to Awaken it and see what happens?”

Patroka shrugged and kept at her work. “Do whatever you want. Just know that we can barely feed the four of us. I don’t know how you expect to handle another Blade.”

Her Driver bit her lip and looked to her brother for advice. “Don’t look at me,” he responded. “I agree with Patroka on this one. Besides, I don’t want to try resonating with a Core Crystal that looks like that. It looks sick. Or dying.”

Charis pouted. “Oh fine. Maybe we can still sell it though.”

Akhos’ eyes met Patroka’s and while the two Drivers were distracted he gave a meaningful glance back down into the stone chest. “Well,” he said a little too loudly. “That’s everything of merit in the box. We can search the rest of these ruins later. I say we help Patroka finish her job and then take our haul up to Theosoir.”

They packed up everything of value and trekked back up to Theosoir. There they spent a little time haggling to get the best price possible for the meat, bones, and fur of the Garlus. Cash in hand they went home to their tiny little hole in the wall apartment and ate a meager dinner. Tomorrow they could stock up on ingredients thanks to their minor windfall. It wouldn’t last, what with the prices in Tantal being what they were. 

When dinner was finished Patroka cleaned up after everyone and put the dishes away. While she was doing that Akhos told their respective Drivers that the two of them were going to take a walk. 

Outside walking through the city Patroka finally addressed Akhos. “So what’s the big deal? What else was in that chest that you didn’t want them to see?”

“Oh you’ll see. There was a hidden compartment I took a peak at and I’d rather our Drivers not see the contents. Best not to talk about it out in the open.”

Now Patroka was getting curious. Usually she tried not to play along Akhos’ nonsense, but this might actually be interesting. The only downside to following him was that they would have to hike back down to that ruined building in the cold. With night coming on it would only grow worse. Thankfully they had heavy fur coats to help. Blades were more resistant to the cold than Humans, but they weren’t immune to its effects. Typically the only ones who weren’t bothered by this level of chill were ice and fire element Blades. For distinctly opposite reasons.

After far too long in the cold they made it to their destination. There Akhos plunged his hands into the stone chest and removed a false bottom. From within he pulled three packages wrapped in a thin film that would protect the contents from the elements. Patroka recognized the material. It was a processed form of Arachno silk. 

Wrapped up within the silk film were stacks of small books, pressed tightly together. The covers of the top book of each of the three packages were visible, their titles still legible. Patroka scratched at her cheek as she read the first title aloud. “Flesh Eater Experiments Research Volume 1.”

The other two packages had similar names, but with different volume numbers. She let out an exasperated sigh. “Is that supposed to mean anything to me Akhos? Or did I get dragged out here for nothing?”

“Dear Patroka, you really don’t pay attention to the world around you.” He began to dramatically unwind the film on the first stack of books.

“Hey, shut up. Do you want me to kick your ass or something? Just tell me what the big deal is.” Honestly he was so annoying. Such a know-it-all.

“Even I don’t know all the details, but supposedly Flesh Eaters are a special kind of Blade. Part Human, part Blade. The rumors are that Flesh Eaters gain great power and freedom from their Drivers. People fear their power. Or so I’ve heard.” Well, that caught her interest.

“So? Where’d you hear about this stuff?”

“There were rumors running around last year about a Flesh Eater being in Theosoir. When people started talking I started hearing more and more details. Nobody ever found the Flesh Eater as far as I know, but I still remembered the rumors. So when I saw those titles I...well you see now.” He laid out the books one by one, arranging them in order of volumes. There were nine in total.

“So these people were what? Experimenting on Core Crystals to create these Flesh Eaters? Why? What reason would Humans have for wanting to give Blades independence. It’s pretty convenient for them that our lives are tied to theirs.” A pain in the ass is what it was.

“We’ll just have to read these to find out, won’t we?” He adjusted his glasses with a cocky smirk. “Just leave it to the great Akhos!”

Patroka sat back and folded her arms across her chest. Skeptically she asked, “You really think we could use this research to gain autonomy? Or more power?”

“Like I said Patroka, read and find out.”

So they set about reading the nine volumes. It was far too much for one evening so they replaced the false bottom of the stone chest and returned home with the books in tow. While Charis and Chares slept their Blades removed a stone tile from the floor and hid the research volumes underneath. 

Over the next several weeks they read through the research whenever they had a moment of security and freedom without their Drivers around or awake. At night one of them would stand guard to warn the other in case the siblings woke up. Their caution made the process take longer, but the research grew more complicated and more confusing as they progressed further, slowing their efforts.

The researchers had set out to find a consistent means by which to create Flesh Eaters with the intent to improve the nation of Tantal. Other documents they referenced indicated that some Flesh Eaters gained incredible and unique abilities. It was their hope to cause the birth of a Flesh Eater capable of solving the problem of Genbu’s poor circulation. 

If that proved unfeasible they were of the opinion that they might be able to convince the King to bring Tantal out of isolation when backed by an army of Flesh Eaters. If Tantal’s crops were poor, perhaps they could find a new home. Or barring that, take one by force. After all, that was the way of the other nations. 

Initially the researchers attempted to gain a greater understanding of the structure of Core Crystals themselves. They hoped to artificially bond a Core Crystal with Human cells prior to Awakening. Numerous different techniques and methods were attempted, but eventually, lacking further Core Crystals, these people abandoned their efforts. 

It was only after Patroka and Akhos passed this point of the research that it became clear who the researchers were. The ones performing these experiments and writing these notes weren’t Humans. They were Blades. A cadre of more than a dozen Blades who had banded together to attempt a breakthrough. Out of love of the Titan they called home.

A few of the Drivers were accepting, but for the most part it seemed these Blades had to keep the process a secret. The research itself had been deemed illegal for reasons that must have been so obvious to the ones writing it that they didn’t elaborate. Akhos and Patroka were left in the dark.

Without additional Core Crystals the Blade researchers began to experiment on themselves. It became clear how grim the situation was growing for these people. Failed experiments could and did mean pain or potentially even death for any of them. By the end of the eighth volume there were only eight Blades left on the research team. However, they had begun to succeed. Two of the eight had become Flesh Eaters, though they had failed to gain increased or additional powers.

The ninth volume was much shorter. Incomplete even. They realized they had been compromised and sought to write down their last findings before hiding their notes. The Blades feared that the King would unleash “The Herald” upon them. Whatever that was. 

Ultimately the Blade research team had set out five different methods of becoming a Flesh Eater, but none guaranteed an improvement of power or the Blade gaining a new ability. However, in all cases the Blade became able to operate at full strength regardless of distance from their Driver. Uniquely it also allowed them to resonate with any Driver.

The notes ended there with the listing of the five paths to becoming a Flesh Eater and a little final commentary. It was impossible to say if the King had punished them as they feared or if something else had happened. Even Akhos was uncertain how long ago the volumes had been written. The Arachno silk film was able to maintain something like paper for a very long time. Neither of them were sure how long. 

Unfortunately the researcher never gave the King’s name, presumably because it was obvious at the time. There were no real context clues to determine how many years had passed. If the ruins they stood in had once been the lab and not just where the notes had been hidden away then the research had taken place one or two centuries prior. 

After they had finished reading the volumes of notes Akhos set about trying to uncover records of historical Flesh Eaters. Despite extensive efforts all he found were brief mentions or rumors. There were no legal documents on record indicating that Tantal outlawed Flesh Eaters so it was possible it had been an archaic law. A lot could happen in a few centuries time. 

Even in Tantal’s greatest library there were no records dating back farther than three centuries. The few mentions of Flesh Eaters Akhos found treated them as fairy tales or boogeymen. Not even very well known fairy tales. 

Together Patroka and Akhos made the decision to abandon any idea of becoming Flesh Eaters. There were too many risks involved without enough guarantee of a positive result. Patroka craved an escape from the dull life she had been entrapped in with Charis, a way far from the frozen wasteland of Tantal, but it didn’t look like turning herself into a Flesh Eater was the way out.

Day in and day out they went treasure hunting or fought wild game or cleared out the nests of beasts. Anything to make the money needed to survive another day. Charis and Chares seemed endlessly cheerful. Nothing could seem to break their positivity. It grossed Patroka out.

Patroka found herself zoning out whenever Charis talked. She was interested in the most boring things. “I saw the Prince the other day you know. Such a cute little kid. I bet he’ll make a fine King when he’s older.”

“Uh-huh,” replied Patroka.

Chares laughed at his sister. “You were paying attention to a kid? I was more interested in his chaperone. The Royal Family’s Blade is pretty cute if you ask me.”

Akhos chuckled from his spot in the kitchen where he was stirring the pot containing their next meal. “Trust you to have an affinity for electric Blades.”

Charis’ face scrunched up. “But she’s got those weird light bulbs and tail. What’s so good about that?”

“Not all Blades look as Human as ours. Besides, I like an exotic look. The green hair? The pointy ears? I dig it.” Patroka rolled her eyes. Of course Chares was into that kinda stuff. Hadn’t Charis noticed the magazines her brother tried to hide? Perverted art of what the artists must think Blades looked like. The fact that there were people into that kind of interspecies stuff bugged her. 

Occasionally Human men and women would hit on her, especially when she spent time at the pub. If her glare didn’t run them off she made sure her foul mouth did. For those that didn’t catch the hint she was perfectly willing to let fists fly, but unfortunately even in drunken brawls people were rarely stupid enough to pick a fight with a Blade. A damned shame. 

There were other Blades living in Tantal, especially in Theosoir, but none that had caught her eye. She had met a pretty attractive ice Blade a few months back, but he had turned out to be a total moron who somehow believed he was a fire element Blade. So dumb.

They sat down together to eat a hearty meal. Like one big happy family. But they weren’t. Blades and Humans couldn’t be family. Blades couldn’t be family. It was all so banal. So boring. 

A few weeks later Patroka and Charis were cautiously exploring the path up to Genbu’s Crown. There were tons of destroyed buildings here, structures that looked like they had been melted. Nobody seemed to know whether this area had been a city once in the distant past. Charis and Chares seemed to think that it was a prime treasure hunting spot despite the teeming wildlife. 

Akhos and Chares had stayed behind to dig into a pit that had been made by some Arachnos. Together Patroka and Akhos had cleared it out and after losing a coin flip the men had been put in charge of sorting through the Arachno carcasses to gather silk and valuable bits of shell. The venom glands of Arachnos also sold for a decent bit of cash. 

As Patroka and her Driver approached a hallway that sloped upwards Charis scoffed and looked around. “You hear people talk about how dangerous this area is, but it’s just a bunch of weak monsters or wild beasts that don’t attack unless you get too close.”

She raised a gloved hand and dragged it against the wall. “This area is in pretty good repair. I wonder what’s up at the top. I bet it’s some good treasure.”

“Yuh-huh.” Patroka reached out and touched the wall herself. It wasn’t especially cold, despite the snowy environment. This hallway was mostly enclosed and kept out of the wind so it didn’t have the same chill as everything else. “Smells kinda nasty through here. I can’t quite place it though.”

They came up out of the top and discovered a domed structure. All soft stone curves set in places with the glowing light of ether. Charis whistled. “Now that place. That place smells like treasure. I think we’ve hit the big haul Patroka!”

Charis dashed ahead through the snow, wide-eyed and excited. Patroka grumbled and slowly followed after her. 

There was a heavy thump and a deep voice trumpeted out a warcry. One by one Garlus with crude stone axes and maces jumped down from where they had been hiding along the walls. Patroka spun back toward the entrance, but it had been blocked off by a pair of Garlus. “Charis! We need to get out of here!”

There were more than a dozen Garlus. Too many to face with just her. If Akhos was here and able to cover Patroka’s back they might be able to do it, but by herself? She would get overwhelmed. Patroka opened up the affinity between herself and Charis and conjured her bardiche. 

Charis looked longingly over her shoulder at the domed building. “But…”

“Forget the damned treasure and let’s go! We need to punch a hole open and make it safely past the hallway!” Patroka slashed her bardiche through the stone, sending large chunks flying towards the Garlus blocking the way. Those two smashed aside the stone, but Patroka was already charging, Charis right behind her.

One of the Garlus moved in from the side and swung a sledgehammer-like weapon at her side. Patroka raised her bardiche to block, summoning a shield at the same time. The Garlus’ hammer cracked, but the impact blew apart her shield, slammed into her bardiche, and crunched up against her side.

Patroka tumbled sideways, rolling ended over end. She had felt some ribs break with that attack. Her bardiche had fallen from her hands, but Charis took it up and cut off the head of that Garlus’ weapon. 

Another Garlus barreled shoulder first into Charis, Patroka’s hastily created barrier barely defending her. The weak shield was destroyed and Charis slammed into a stone wall, crying out in pain. 

Patroka staggered to her feet, barely avoiding a swinging axe. The sharpened stone weapon slashed apart the back of her clothes, slicing into her skin. She snarled and turned towards it, raising a hand and firing out an earth ether spear. The spear gouged into the Garlus’ eye, causing it to fall backwards roaring in pain.

She made it to Charis in time to defend her Driver from an overhead blow by one of those round maces. Patroka created a shield just above her hands and reached out to catch the descending ball of rock. The force of the attack broke her third shield in a row and plowed into her hands. Patroka put all of her strength into stopping the attack and it almost worked. Almost.

The pain in her palms was blindingly intense, but she was distracted by the sensation of one of her ankles snapping under the downward force of the blow. She had stopped it though. With a scream of rage she funneled more ether between herself and Charis and yanked with all of her strength, wrenching the mace from the Garlus’ surprised hands.

Shifting her weight onto her good foot she tossed the mace up into the air, grabbed it by the oversized hilt, and swung it with all her might. The Garlus who had broken her ankle took it straight to the head and collapsed in a heap. 

Charis slumped to the ground behind her, unmoving. Patroka growled and hurled the mace, forcing a pair of the Garlus to dodge. Then she summoned more power and sent a barrage of sharp rocks flying in all directions. 

Hoping that the Garlus were sufficiently distracted she reached down, tucked an arm under Charis, and hauled her Driver up onto her shoulder. Then she began limping away as fast as she could, blood dripping down her back as she moved. Once they were in the hallway and descending the Garlus no longer followed them. Patroka breathed heavily, wincing with every step she took. “Damned territorial assholes…”

Halfway down the hallway Patroka’s strength gave out and she collapsed, tumbling forward, Charis sliding onto the ground off her shoulder. “Shit...sorry Charis, I can’t carry you any further until my ankle heals. If we go out there wounded like this without me being able to run properly we might draw unwanted attention.”

There was no reply. Patroka panicked for a moment, but then realized she was being stupid. “Of course you’re not dead. I’d never know if you were.”

Still, she scooted a little closer to inspect Charis, who was still laying face down on the stone. Her Driver was probably unconscious. Patroka rolled her over and discovered that Charis was staring straight up. She was awake, but tears were running down her eyes. Patroka groaned. What a crybaby. “Are you seriously bitching because we got run off by a bunch of Garlus? You don’t even know if there was any treasure in there.”

“I can’t move.”

“Yeah, I’m exhausted too.”

Charis bit back a sob. “I can’t feel my arms or my legs. I can’t move. I can’t move. Patroka I...I feel so numb…”

Patroka bit her lip and leaned forward, pinching Charis’ hand. “Feel that?”

“I can’t.”

“Oh.” Shit. Was she supposed to carry Charis all the way back to Theosoir? “We should probably just wait until Chares and Akhos catch up. Akhos can fix you up.”

That was bullshit. Akhos was a terrible healer. Cuts and scrapes were the extent of his ability. It wasn’t an ether deficit, he just said he didn’t have the precise control necessary to treat more serious injuries. 

“What if I’m stuck like this? What if I can’t move? Forever?”

“Then you’re just like the rest of us. Stuck in one place.” Now why had she said that?

“If I have to stay this way...will you carry me Patroka?” Charis’ voice was so sad and so hopeful. Tears streamed down the sides of her face, her forehead and cheeks bloody from her face first fall. 

“You want me to carry you…” Patroka would be stuck...carrying a Human around? A Driver who was just a waste of space? Demoted from treasure hunting Blade to giving piggyback rides? But what choice did Patroka have? What choice did any Blade have?

“Please…”

“What if I said...no?” Patroka felt a hopelessness welling up inside of her. No? Like that was even an option. Her Driver would be trapped in a worthless body that didn’t work and Patroka would be trapped with her. Until the day her Driver died. Died and took Patroka with her after having accomplished nothing. What a wasted life.

“No? But…” Charis whimpered. She was so pathetic. So fragile. Humans were just so...breakable.

Something changed in Charis’ eyes. A wildness came upon them that Patroka had never seen in her before. “You have to!”

“I have to?” 

“I wouldn’t be this way if it weren’t...if you…” Charis sobbed, but there was clear rage building in her voice. The panicked rage of a wounded animal. For the first time since she had been Awakened Patroka found her Driver interesting.

“If I what?,” Patroka asked, menace in her voice. Just because Charis was acting tough didn’t mean Patroka was willing to listen to a bunch of bullshit.

“If you weren’t so weak this wouldn’t have happened to me! You and Akhos are so worthless! You’re always so damned whiny! You bitch and complain and moan and snap at us like we’re in your way, but nobody is stopping you from doing anything! You’re just a mean, pathetic, overbearing, awful woman! You act like you’re stuck, but you’re just too weak to leave! Too weak to defend your own Driver! To defend yourself!”

Charis couldn’t even lift her head, but she shouted, spittle flying high and blood dripping from her forehead onto the stone floor. “You wouldn’t even be alive if it weren’t for me! You owe me everything and you can’t even protect me! You’re weak! Body and mind, you’re so damned weak it makes me sick! If I ask you to carry me around you better do it! The moment I die you snuff it too! Don’t you know that?”

Patroka felt her whole body shaking, her fists clenched tightly as rage built. The lacerations on her hands from where she had caught the mace flared painfully, but she couldn’t care less about that. “I’m weak? I...owe you? Acting like you made me! Like you’re the Architect or something?”

“The Architects made Blades to serve Humans! Everybody knows it! So carry me! Help me out! You’re weak! I’m weak! So just...carry me okay? Please? Please? Patroka, please? We can help each other out. We’re family, right? Please, Patroka?”

Desperation. That was what it was. The frantic desperate flailing and shouting of a wounded animal. Like a bunnit with its leg caught in a trap. If you came across a wounded animal what would you do with it? A paralyzed Ardun? A Volff with a broken spine? What then?

Patroka’s hands reached out, almost without her telling them to move. Charis gasped and choked, gurgling out her words. “Pa..tro..ka...wh..y?” If the woman’s legs could move they’d be kicking hard right about now.

“Yeah...I’m just helping. This is what the Architect would want, right? Because we’re family! Right?!” Patroka’s left hand squeezed tighter and Charis’ face began to change color. Patroka realized she was laughing.

Words tumbled endlessly through Patroka’s mind, unbidden. If it was the Architect’s will that Blades be bound to Humans...then it had to be the Architect’s will that there was a way to break that bond. 

An hour later Akhos and Chares stumbled upon a scene of carnage. Patroka sat with her back against the stone wall of the hallway up to Genbu’s Crown, her hands, chest, and face covered in blood. Her wounds had long since healed. What was left of Charis’ body lay on the ground in front of her, barely identifiable except for her bloodied clothes. 

Chares fell to his knees, wailing in despair at the sight of his sister. Patroka just sat there, staring at the far wall, listening to Akhos’ Driver moan and gibber without words. That was just the way of Humans. They were so full of tears.

Akhos knelt down next to her and extended a hand, touching her Core Crystal. He pulled a cloth from his pocket and gently scrubbed away the dried blood on her core. Even when it was all gone her core remained stained red. His eyes met hers and he stood up, shoving the now red cloth back into his pocket.

Minutes later Chares finally came to his senses. He stood above Patroka, looking down at her with a murderous fury in his eyes. “You...you did this to my sister! You’re a monster! You ate her! Carved her up and ate her!”

He pulled his left fist back to strike her, but his wrist was caught in Akhos grip. Chares turned his head and glared at his Blade. “You’re defending her? This...thing...this grotesque creature...she killed Charis! My sister!”

Chares reached into his shirt and pulled out a locket. He flipped it open so that Akhos could see the contents. A picture of the four of them together. “We were supposed to be a family! My sister and I and the two of you!”

Akhos released Chares wrist and the Human whirled back around and scrambled for his belt knife. “Patroka...I’m going to kill you for what you did! You’re disgusting! You damned monster!”

“I’m sorry Charis, but it seems even I misinterpreted the type of play we were actors in.” 

Akhos batted the knife out of his Driver’s hand and grasped the Human by the throat, lifting him off the ground. “You see, with us playing treasure hunters and play acting as a family day in and day out I assumed we were actors in a comedy. A bad one, but a comedy nevertheless.”  
With his free hand he reached up and adjusted his red glasses. “As it turns out…”

“This is a tragedy.”


	22. My Place In The Story

4045

Akhos’ sister had taken well to their entry into this group called Torna. There had been little choice. It was either go along with their rescuer Jin or face death at the hands of Indol. Akhos felt like Patroka was actually getting worse. She had always been aggressive, but she seemed to revel in the opportunity to partake in violence at the behest of Jin and Malos.

So far Akhos himself had remained largely in the background, acting as a sort of general support. Malos didn’t seem to trust him and Jin insisted that Akhos didn’t truly understand humanity yet. Any attempt to get a clear image of what their group’s plan was had fallen flat. Yet still he remained. Where else was he to go? 

There were a number of mysteries that Akhos couldn’t figure out. Jin was a Flesh Eater like himself and Patroka, but the other two members of Torna weren’t. Malos was capable of using ether and had a supernatural strength that would have been impossible for a Human, so he was clearly a Blade, yet he kept his Core Crystal covered up by a metal plate. 

The final member of the team, Mikhail, was a foppish Blade that seemed to grate on Patroka’s nerves. The man seemed to always want to flirt with her, despite her clear disdain. Akhos found the fellow amusing. Despite being a Blade there was something odd about him as well. Malos had off-handedly made a crude remark about his Driver at dinner one evening, but there was no mention of Mikhail’s Driver. 

They made their base in an enormous warship called the Marsanes that had been settled deep within the Cloud Sea. Mikhail spent most of his time maintaining it and making gradual repairs. There were a few small one or two person submersibles that allowed travel to the surface and a large cruiser, a fraction the size of the Marsanes itself, that was their key transport if moving multiple people. Malos had called it the Monoceros. 

Parts of the Marsanes were off limits to Akhos. Akhos wasn’t offended. After all, it made sense that the newest members be kept away from certain secrets until trust could be established. Trust was as necessary between comrades as it was between Drivers and Blades. 

Akhos chuckled at the thought. Trust between a Driver and a Blade. It seemed a ludicrous thought now. Akhos hadn’t disliked his Driver, yet here he was, a Flesh Eater. All because of a moment of passion. No, that was a complicated lie. Or maybe a simplification of years of budding malice. Not for his Driver, but for the pathetic state of his own life.

Becoming a Flesh Eater had magnified Akhos’ power, though he had yet to test the full extent of that new strength. No of that seemed to matter. It hadn’t helped himself or Patroka avoid capture and it hadn’t changed his life that much. Now instead of a life of dull repetition in a cold wasteland he spent his time aboard a metal graveyard below the clouds with no sense of purpose.

“Akhos!” Malos familiar deep voice rang out.

“Malos. What can I do for you?” He still walked on eggshells around these people. Mikhail was friendly enough and Jin was a calm soul, but Malos radiated danger and menace. Being around him was like having a heavy weight pressing down upon you. 

The dark armored Blade strode forward confidently and placed a hand on Akhos’ shoulder. “We’re going on a mission. You, me, and Jin.”

“Where to?”

“Somewhere a little warmer.”

A few days later they had arrived at their destination. Akhos stepped out onto shore, Malos and Jin trailing behind him. Jin took a moment to have their small craft submerge so that it would remain hidden. 

Akhos looked around, taking in the natural beauty and floating islands with their long tendrils. It was still strange to travel to other parts of the world after having spent so long living in Tantal. The rest of the world had seemed so vibrant, but nowhere so much as this place. “Where is this? I’ve never heard of a place like this.”

Malos laughed as he stomped out in front of Akhos. “You sure are one sheltered Blade. This…”, he gestured at the chain of Titan islands arrayed before them. “Is Leftheria.”

“And what are we doing here? Capturing more Core Crystals?” Many of the missions Patroka had been sent on involved hunting for cores. Akhos still had no idea what they were for. It wasn’t like a bunch of Blades could Awaken more Blades. Were they selling them? That seemed at odds with some of what Jin had said so far.

Jin pointed out into the distance to one of the largest Titans. “The central Titan of Leftheria, Elyps, is primarily submerged beneath the Cloud Sea. Deep within its body is a dangerous place and at its heart lies an object of immense value.”

“Ah, so I’ve been reduced to a treasure hunter again.” What a twisted place the world was.

“Not quite. Malos and I have already been deep within, but there remains a barrier that we cannot cross. With new allies at our side we’d like to see if it is possible to open the way.” That sounded like treasure hunting to Akhos.

“Well, at least tell me what sort of treasure we’re after. Or this the sort of thing that only gets revealed during the last act?” Malos planted a hand in the center of Akhos’ back and lightly pushed.

“Get moving. You’ve got to earn that answer.” Of course that’s what he’d say. How predictable.

Akhos was surprised when their slow winding path led them away from the central Titan Jin had referenced. Leftheria was a strange place where formations that appeared to be made from clouds stretched from island Titan to island Titan. An archipelago like this, where most of the islands floated high above the Cloud Sea, was somewhat like a maze. Yet even Akhos could tell they weren’t going in the right direction.

“Aren’t we going the wrong way?” Perhaps these two hadn’t noticed.

“No,” said Jin. “We need to collect something first from a distant village.”

Malos’ laugh was as dark as his armor. “We could take it from the village right by our destination, but there’s a certain guy lounging in the area that’d be a bit of a pain to pick a fight with.”

“Someone that would be a problem for the three of us? A Driver?” That was the only option that made sense to Akhos. Yet what sort of Driver and Blade could handle all three of them?

“A Titan. Seems like he’s pretty protective of the village. We could probably kill him, but it’s not worth the hassle.” Malos grinned broadly, but there was no joy or mirth to the expression.

“So...what we want is something we must steal?” If it was just something they could casually purchase there would be no risk of riling a Titan. Something of value to the villagers perhaps?

“You’ll see.”

Onwards they went until at last they began to crest a cloudway. However, their pace slowed at the sounds of violence. To anyone who had experienced battle it was a distinct tune. A tempo formed of screams and terror and smoke and gunfire. 

The Leftherian archipelago had such a distance between each of its major islands that the next closest village couldn’t possibly hear the cacophony of death taking place up ahead. Easy prey for bandits or whatever ne’er-do-wells made this corner of Alrest their home.

Malos merely grunted. “Damn. We need at least one of them alive. What do you think, Jin? Just wipe the whole bunch out and try a different village or snatch one and leave the rest to burn?”

Akhos stared at them, flabbergasted. He wasn’t opposed to using violence to solve a problem, he was a Flesh Eater after all, but such blatant disregard for life was shocking to hear. “We need a villager? If we were to swoop in like heroes and subdue these bandits I’m sure the villagers would willingly give us whatever we wanted.”

He reached up to adjust his glasses. “It’s a bit trite, but I wouldn’t mind playing the hero once in a while. They do get the best response from the audience.”

Malos jabbed him in the chest with a finger. “You? You want to play hero? Are you out of your mind?”

Jin calmly placed his hand on Malos’ arm. “Let him. I believe this will be an important step for Akhos. To witness the true state of humanity.”

Malos lowered his arm and glared at Akhos. “You heard the man. Go act out your wildest fantasies.”

“I’ll show them a last minute rescue act right out of the pages of a novel!” Akhos summoned up his scythe and charged on ahead into the chaos.

The village was small and poor, that much was clear from a glance. A few rooftops were ablaze and people were running in terror. Men in body armor marched across the island, gunning down those who fled from them. Some entered homes to ransack them and search for those who might be hiding.

This seemed to be some kind of paramilitary unit. Their armor was that of Mor Ardain, but few among them wore a helmet. Their armor had also been painted a white color and their helms were silver. Akhos also noticed a serpentine creature monogrammed in red upon their backs. 

Akhos slid to a stop and converted his scythe into its bow form and took aim. With expert precision he struck down three of the invaders with arrows to the chest or into an eye. That got their attention.

The men began to shout and they opened fire upon him. He forged on ahead, letting a barrier stop their bullets from striking him. Several of them began shouting the word Blade. 

While running Akhos slew two more men with arrows that he charged with electricity. Then he reached a group of four and reverted his weapon to its scythe mode and cut two of them in half with a single sweep. It felt glorious. The amount of ether he had been able to use before becoming a Flesh Eater was dwarfed by what he was using now. And yet Akhos felt no sense of strain. This wasn’t his limit. He could do more.

One of the men tried to stab him from behind with a bayonet, but Akhos dodged out of the way and placed a hand on the man’s forehead. Electric ether flowed from Akhos’ palm into the man’s body, such an incredible amount that the man’s skin popped and cracked. He was dead before he hit the ground.

With a gleeful swing of his scythe he sent arcs of lightning streaking across the village, piercing into two more of the paramilitary troops. Without slowing he sent a ball of lightning into the chest of the soldier closest to him, burning him from the inside out. Akhos’ scythe had brought calamity down upon these foolish men.

More troops poured out from the houses they had been searching, joining their allies. They might as well have been buzzing insects for all the resistance they put up. As he plowed through them, they must have felt some sense of despair because they chose a different tactic. Two soldiers exited a small house, pushing a man and a woman in front of them. The soldiers had their guns up and aimed at the heads of the two Leftherians. The woman was holding a small child, a toddler from the size.

“Don’t go getting any noble ideas of playing hero! Back off and let us leave or we’ll execute these people right now!”

A sense of unfettered glee flooded Akhos. He spread his arms out wide and dramatically made his proclamation. “A hero’s dilemma! Choosing between protecting the innocent and slaying the evil! You’ve given me such a classic storybook moment!”

The remaining troops looked nervously at each other, bewildered by Akhos’ response. One of the two men holding a gun at the hostages shoved the barrel harder against the woman’s head. “We’re serious! Their blood will be on your~”

Akhos’ next arrow took the man in the right eye, dropping him immediately. The second one, with his gun aimed at the man, screamed in terror and started to squeeze the trigger. His hand went sailing into the air, sliced off by another well placed arrow. He screamed in agony and clutched at the stump to stem the flow of blood.

Akhos raised his bow up high and launched an arrow laced with a ludicrous amount of ether. It arced high into the sky and rained lightning bolts down from the peak of its flight. The men desperately attempted to make the escape, but the scores of ether created lightning bolts slew them as they ran. Akhos began to understand the joy Patroka felt in battle. At least to some extent. She wanted a challenge, but this...the glee of cutting down those weaker than himself, of playing a role...it brought him true joy.

No more faux soldiers stood alive upon this far flung paradise island. No longer a paradise. This was a corpse littered battleground, as bloody as any to be found elsewhere in the world. Akhos let his scythe disappear and strode confidently and elegantly towards those he had rescued.

“Rejoice! At the last moment a hero appeared to save the day! If life were a script I couldn’t have penned it better myself!” The two Humans with the child quivered where they stood, seemingly rooted to the spot. Oddly despite the loud sounds the toddler wasn’t crying. 

“Th-thank you..we…”, the man’s words stopped dead as soon as Akhos got closer. 

Akhos tilted his head to the side. “What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue?”

The woman hugged the child tighter and the man, her lover or husband presumably, moved to stand in front of them. “We don’t want any trouble! Don’t hurt us or our boy! Just take what you want and leave!”

“I’m not sure I understand. I just saved you. Shouldn’t you be thanking me? How many others would have selflessly stepped in to save the day? I’m a bonafide hero.” Why were these Humans not sticking to their clear dialogue choices? They were supposed to thank him on hands and knees. Sing his praises, ask his name, glorify him. All of those kinds of things.

The man’s face was frightened, but determined. “If you have to eat someone, take me! I won’t let a cannibal like you hurt my wife or son!”

“Cannibal?” Akhos gently ran a thumb across his red and blue Core Crystal. “Cannibal?”

“You thought we wouldn’t recognize your kind because this is a rural village? You were wrong! Flesh Eater! Monster! Cannibal! Kill me and begone or just leave! But don’t take them!” The man spread his arms out as if to guard any path to his loved ones. Hadn’t this idiot seen Akhos obliterate around two dozen armed men?

“I’m not a monster. I’m a Blade. I saved you. Like a hero.” Akhos felt something red and frightening, like some vicious serpent, coiling its way through his body and brain. His vision seemed to fuzz at the edges and his thoughts skittered wildly. Tantalese soldiers shouting, gunfire, nets, terror, blood. A cold cell in which to await oblivion. An outstretched hand.

“I’m not a cannibal. I’m…”, again, in his mind he saw that outstretched hand. He reached out to them in the same manner. “I’m just like you.”

Without warning the man tried to tackle Akhos. He screamed out to his wife, shouting, “Run!”

Akhos slugged the man in the gut, knocking the wind out of him and then carelessly backhanded him. The Human’s jaw cracked from the force of the blow and he fell forcefully to the ground. Akhos couldn’t even begin to imagine what his expression was like at that moment. “I’m the same as you! Don’t you understand?”

The woman had bolted, hugging her child close. Akhos let her pass. Her husband slowly got to his feet. 

The wife shouted in fear. Akhos looked over his shoulder and saw that Jin and Malos had entered the village. The woman looked at them and, sobbing, she pleaded desperately. “Please help us! There’s a cannibal attacking us! A Flesh Eater!”

Malos threw his arms out and laughed without any warmth. “This is what comes of trying to play the hero Akhos! This is what Humans are truly like. Disgusting unworthy creatures.”

Jin reached up and removed the horned mask, revealing the red core that rested upon his forehead. “The true nature of humanity. Lowly beings not worthy of pity. Irredeemable. So, Akhos, which one do you choose?”

“Choose?”

“We only need one. Pick one. Then end the other two.” Jin’s voice was hollow and empty.

Akhos looked at the husband, stalled in his motion with uncertainty of whether he should focus on Akhos behind him or Jin and Malos ahead. Then Akhos looked at the woman with her small boy in tow. With his pudgy little face draped over his mother’s shoulder the child stared at Akhos, golden eyes seeming to bore into him.

In that moment Akhos felt empty of all the joy that had previously filled him and all the rage that had followed. He sent a pulse of ether through the village and felt a tingle in his senses. A faint life. He jerked a thumb behind him towards one of the damaged homes. “There’s one alive in there. I pick that one.”

Akhos summoned his scythe into his hands in its bow form and stalked towards the Humans. “We only need one. You should run. Give me the satisfaction. You’ll die, but you’ll live for a few moments longer.”

The husband ran ahead and grabbed hold of his wife, the two fleeing down the cloudway past Malos and Jin. Malos sneered at Akhos. “Well well, didn’t think you had it in you. Letting them run for the fun of it?”

“No. Dying with hope in your heart...I can’t imagine anything more painful than that.” He strolled past Jin and Malos, moving slowly after his prey. There was no need to hurry. He would let the Humans savor their last moments.

As he passed them, Malos muttered something to him. “That so? Akhos...you’re one mean son of a bitch, I’ll give you that.”

Akhos stalked them. Every so often he would fire an arrow their way to keep the pressure on, to put the fear into their hearts. Bit by bit his arrows sliced into them, drawing more and more blood. They were flagging, their movements dull and slow. 

He began to grow bored. Carefully he took aim, never breaking stride, and pierced the husband’s side with an arrow. Then another through the man’s opposite shoulder. Then the left calf. The Human stumbled and fell. 

Even from this distance Akhos could tell that the man was pleading for his wife to keep going. How much this must tear them apart. Finally the woman began to run again. Good, that was what Akhos wanted. They would run. Just like he had. They were the same as him after all.

Akhos drew fletching to cheek and fired, taking the woman in the side like he had the husband. Then he took aim at her shoulder...where the child was clutched. 

Akhos could see at great distances if he concentrated. A skill necessary for a Blade with a bow. By focusing electrical impulses from his ether into his eyes he could telescopically enhance his vision. As such he had been able to make out the fear in their faces when they would look back. The true depths of terror and despair the wife felt as she was forced to abandon her husband.

That boy wore no expression at all. No happiness, no fear, nothing. Like the brat was empty. Akhos couldn’t shake that golden gaze. It pierced him as surely as one of his own arrows had punched through the boy’s mother’s flesh. 

Akhos realized his hands were shaking on the bow. All he had to do was relax his grip and the arrow would fly. The boy would die and soon after so would the mother. It would be so easy. Just another Human dead at his hand. Like those soldiers. Like Chares.

The bow dissipated from his hands and he slumped to his knees, panting. Another shattered family. Akhos grasped at his mouth to stop himself from vomiting up everything he had eaten on their voyage here. The taste of blood was strong in his mouth. Chares’ blood. 

“Damn it...damn it…”

Several minutes later he found himself standing over the husband. The man had dragged himself so that he sat upright against a tree. With one hand clutched at the wound in his side the Human glared up at him. “Did you do it? Did you kill my wife and boy? You monster…”

“I didn’t.”

“You...didn’t?” 

“No. I can’t say for sure your wife will last. She was wounded pretty badly after all, but I didn’t kill them.” Akhos crouched down so he could look the Human in the eye.

“Why?”

“I haven’t decided yet.”

“You...haven’t decided?”

Akhos pulled his glasses off and rubbed at the lenses. “My place in the story. Am I part of the script or do I write it?”

“I...don’t understand.”

“Yes, I know.” Akhos rose and walked away, leaving the man there to die. With those injuries he would be dead within a few hours. If local wildlife didn’t finish him off first. “Neither do I.”

\--------------------------

“A...colony?” Akhos wasn’t sure he believed what he had heard.

“That is correct. Established over a century ago.” Jin sat at the helm of their small vessel, heading up to the surface. Their destination was a small Titan that roamed the Uncharted Territory. While most Titans circled the World Tree, this one, likely addled by age, made loops in the middle of nowhere. 

“How were you able to find something like this out here? The Uncharted areas are mind bogglingly vast. They say Mor Ardain put together a colossal cruiser to navigate the Uncharted area in search of new Titans about fifty years ago. It never returned.” It was difficult to comprehend the true size of Alrest. 

It had been a great shock to Akhos when he had learned that the maps he was familiar with, detailing Alrest, merely depicted the central area surrounding the World Tree that the Titans traveled around. Ludicrously enormous swaths of Cloud Sea expanded beyond that, often littered with smaller Titans. Far beyond those were the Uncharted areas. No recorded attempt to locate anything meaningful within or past that territory had been successful. 

The resources required to undertake such an effort were absurd. Mikhail had explained   
some of the details to Akhos one evening. Mechanics, food, fuel, manpower, and so much more. Parts for repairs, navigation charts, mining equipment, equipment for analyzing soil, long range depth sensors, and plenty of items Akhos had never heard of. The nations of Alrest simply lacked the resources. Perhaps out there existed a Titan or Titans capable of supporting life, but they were beyond the reach of current technology.

Mikhail suspected that the presence of free roaming sea life was a consistent danger as well. He had estimated that most such expeditions were doomed not by running out of supplies, but were instead destroyed by territorial monsters. 

“We learned of its existence through back channels and research. If enough mouths speak the same rumor, there exists a possibility that it is truth they speak.” As usual Jin’s manner of speech seemed odd to Akhos. Probably a result of being around five centuries old.

That had been a staggering revelation. Akhos had known that, given how Blades did not age, there was a chance Flesh Eaters were effectively immortal, but to encounter one who had lived so long…

What would Akhos do when he had lived for a century or more? Would he grow bored of life? 

It had been even more shocking to learn that Jin had recovered data from an Indoline outpost that indicated Indol’s estimates on Flesh Eaters. One created every decade or two, with an almost one hundred percent capture rate. There had been photos. Some of those Flesh Eaters had been rotten, decayed, or mutated. Most seemed to have begun to crumble from the inside out. Most Blades who attempted the process had little idea of what methods actually worked. 

Even with the aid of the research notes it was amazing that Akhos and Patroka had turned out alright. So far. You could even say they were in the top percentile of Flesh Eaters. Most gained nothing except freedom from their Driver. Both Akhos and his sister had gained vastly increased power. The raw amount of ether energy they could handle had greatly multiplied from when they were simple Blades.

Jin was a cut above the rest. If one in a hundred Flesh Eaters gained increased power or a special ability, one in ten thousand gained both. Akhos had only witnessed Jin’s full strength once, when the man had slain a Carraig Guard unit, composed of elite Drivers and Blades from Mor Ardain. It must be once every few centuries that a Flesh Eater even remotely approaching Jin’s level of power came into existence. 

That being the case, what would they find at this colony? A home for wayward Flesh Eaters, far away from the rest of society? A gathering spot for those who had been rejected by humanity? How many would there be? Would they be the type that was slowly dying? Flesh Eaters like Akhos? Like Jin?

Their range sensor had picked up the Titan they suspected of being this colony only a few minutes before. At their current pace they would arrive in less than an hour. Jin had decided to bring only Akhos with him. Although there were three Flesh Eaters in Torna, Patroka had been deemed...unsuitable for this sort of meeting.

“How many do you think might be there?” Akhos couldn’t decide if he should be excited about the prospect of meeting more Flesh Eaters. Jin also hadn’t made it clear what their aim here was. Were they attempting to recruit Flesh Eaters into Torna? It was true that Torna was sorely lacking in members. When Akhos had suggested they create more Flesh Eaters to increase their ranks he had been met with a flat out rejection by Jin. 

“I expect that there won’t be any at all.” Jin’s face didn’t shift even a little beneath that horned mask of his. 

“Huh? You don’t think it’s a real colony? I thought you said you had learned its location from your sources?” Was this just an investigatory trip then? To see what was true and what was lies?

“In a manner of speaking I do believe it to be real. Well, we will learn the truth soon enough.” Jin stopped speaking and he had that air about him like he was finished talking for a while. Akhos was slowly learning to read Jin.

Time seemed to creep forward painfully slowly as they made their final approach. Sure enough they eventually came upon a small Titan, large enough to support maybe fifty or sixty people comfortably. It resembled a large turtle with armor plating running along its sides and up its back. Greenery flourished upon its shell and even from here Akhos could make out a few buildings. Simple wooden structures. 

Jin pulled them up along its side and input the commands that would have their two person vessel trail along in the Titan’s wake. Then they exited from the upper hatch and manually climbed up the Titan’s body and onto its back. 

To one side there was a stretch of tilled farmland with an abundance of types of produce. To the other was a wooden area that had been partially cleared out. There were signs of new growth. The residents cut down trees for wood, but planted more to replace those they chopped. Up ahead of them, at the center of the Titan’s body, was a small village. Two dozen wooden buildings of different sizes, not a single one fancy or especially large. The buildings in the center looked to be cruder craftsmanship than the ones on the outer edges. Signs of the residents getting better at woodworking over time?

Akhos noticed that Jin hadn’t removed his mask. He was still covering up his Core Crystal. Seeing that, Akhos decided to keep his hidden as well. He followed Jin’s lead and walked into the village.

There were a few Blades wandering around the little hamlett, but Akhos could see through open windows that there were more inside the buildings. Hard to tell how many, but he had already counted seventeen. That almost certainly meant at least two dozen Flesh Eaters. 

They were all the Common type of Blade, but as the Blades noticed Jin and Akhos they began to draw attention. Akhos was now able to see their cores more clearly. Blue tinged with red. It truly was a colony of Flesh Eaters. 

One of the Blades stepped out in front of the rest and came forward to meet Akhos and Jin at the edge of the village. He seemed wary. Understandably so. “Greetings.”

It was Akhos time to shine. He bowed dramatically to the man. “Good morrow my fine fellow! What a pleasure to see so many Blades gathered together.”

The Blade looked carefully at each of them. Common Blades had hard to read expressions for Humans, but as a Blade himself it had always been easy to gauge their mood. This man was nervous, but trying to put up a strong front. “Are...the two of you Blades?”

Akhos smiled broadly and adjusted his glasses. “But of course! However, is that really the question you should be asking?”

“The...question I should be asking?” The man’s voice was pure confusion.

“Indeed. You see, your line should be: what manner of Blade are you?” Jin kept quiet, letting Akhos do the talking. That had been what they agreed on. For now.

The Blade cleared his throat. The others behind him seemed nearly as uncertain as he was. By now more Blades were coming out of their homes. “What manner of Blade are you?”

Akhos extended his out to the Blade in front of him. “I am called Akhos. And I am the same as you.”

Without taking Akhos’ hand the Blade responded, his voice tentative and questioning. “So you are...Flesh Eaters?”

“As I said. We are the same.”

A sigh of relief escaped the Blade’s lips. “Oh thank the Architect. I’m so glad you came.”

It was Akhos turn to be confused. “You’re glad we came? I’m not sure I understand.”

“For what it’s worth, I really am sorry.” Weapons materialized in the hands of the Flesh Eaters of the village and they sprang into action, circling Jin and Akhos. Knuckle Claws formed around the fists of the man Akhos had been speaking to. “Please, if you surrender peacefully we promise not to hurt you.”

Akhos opened his mouth to respond, readying himself to fight, but was stopped by Jin putting a hand out in front of his chest. Jin took a single step forward, his eyes locked on the lead Blade.

“And tell me. What is it you hope to gain?” Jin’s words, cold and spoken slowly, seemed to send a shiver down the spines of these gathered Flesh Eaters. He hadn’t issued a threat, yet all of them could feel the ether bending around him. 

“One Flesh Eater for one year. That...that was the only way to ensure our safety. You’re Flesh Eaters as well. You understand, surely.” Despite the summoned weapons it barely seemed like these Flesh Eaters were ready for a fight. Or, more likely, they loathed the idea of fighting.

“To whom did you make such an arrangement?” By Jin’s tone it seemed clear he knew the answer already.

“The Praetorium! They found us about eighty years ago, but instead of snapping us all up they offered us a deal. Every time we captured a Flesh Eater for them they would let us be for another year. It was the only way!” 

Jin took another step forward and the air around them began to grow colder. “The only way? So rather than fight or flee, you chose to sacrifice the lives of your fellow Blades for a false sense of security? Is that peace? Is that safety? For your own cowardice you led eighty Blades, Flesh Eaters rejected by society, to their demise?”

The lead Blade readied his Knuckle Claws, but he unconsciously took a step back, moving away from Jin. The circle of enemy Flesh Eaters now seemed to revolve around Jin. “It wasn’t just stray Flesh Eaters! We all agreed to it! Do you think there were always this few of us? In the bad years, when no Flesh Eaters come, we hold a lottery. One person makes a sacrifice so the rest can live! That’s what a community is!”

“What childish naivety. Doesn’t the state of this world that has cursed you so not fill you with disgust? Does rage not build within you at the idea that, despite escaping the bondage of your Drivers, you are still slaves to humankind?” Jin’s hand came up to grip the hilt of his sword. Akhos found that he was frozen in place. None of the Blades were even paying attention to him anymore. All eyes were on Jin.

One of the Blades in the crowd shouted. “What could we do? Fight the Praetorium and die for nothing? Better to live as long as I can with my own kind at my side than die like an animal!”

Voices raised up in agreement. Jin shook his head. “And so you lie to yourselves. In the end you still die like animals. The Praetor uses you like a spring bubbling up with hope. An Elysium for Flesh Eaters. A sanctuary. A paradise. Yet that Elysium is a lie that devours your own kind and leaves not even a shred of flesh behind.”

“Soon the day will come when Amalthus grows bored of this game or deems you of no use. Then the Praetorium will snap you up in its jaws as quickly as they have consumed the Blades you led to the slaughter.” Jin’s sword left its sheath and lowered until the tip touched the ground. 

“If it was a Human who made the deal, do you think we would have accepted it? It was a Blade! A Blade convinced us that this was the best way to prolong our lives! To be a community, a family, for at least a little while! To have at least some happy memories before the end!”

Jin raised his sword until it was aimed right at the lead Blade. “A Blade made you the offer? What Blade?”

“One of the Praetor’s divine trinity! The Goddesses of Indol! She was kind and compassionate. She knew the Praetorium would take us all in the end so this was the guarantee she made! One Flesh Eater for one year! It was the best offer we could get! She protects us, don’t you understand?” The temperature dropped further as Jin removed his mask with his free hand and let it drop to the ground.

Jin’s body flared with powerful ether as it undertook a transformation into the form that allowed him to unleash his full power. All of the surrounding Flesh Eaters shrank back in fear. Akhos could only look on in awe. Even against the Carraig Jin hadn’t emitted this much ether. It was beautiful in its own frightening way. “What...Blade?”

A Flesh Eater from the crowd whispered a name, barely audible. And Jin disappeared from sight, his sword flashing at a speed normal vision couldn’t keep up with. A killing field, a slaughterhouse where animals went to die. 

Akhos watched, filled with terror and joy as Jin carved the cowardly Flesh Eaters apart. Glorious carnage. “I’ll call this masterpiece...Ice Flower Blooming Red.”

What a truly ludicrous world they lived in.

\-------------------

“Ah, shit, shit, shit, shit!” Patroka continued to swear, grasping at the operating table and bending the metal as Akhos worked to close her wounds. 

With threads of ether he cautiously removed the barbs of broken steel that were embedded into her back and dropped them into a container next to the table. Simultaneously he focused electric ether into her muscles and nerves to dull the pain and stimulate gradual healing. 

Once the tiny bits of shrapnel were out of the way he set to work on removing the large pieces that were stuck inside her body. He had been forced to cut open her skin and pin the flaps out of the way so that he could get at the internal damage. This also required a lot of ether healing to prevent bleeding inside or outside of her body. 

Akhos once again thanked his Flesh Eater status for his enhanced healing capabilities. When he had been a normal Blade his skill at healing had been meager, capable of removing cuts and bruises at most. Now he could manipulate the body at a much smaller scale and with greater dexterity. He had become a first rate healing Blade. Oh there were better ones out there, like the best healer in Tantal for instance, but his skill was still something to be admired.

His surgical skills were still growing. He lacked the pure biological or medicinal knowledge to ascend to that highest echelon of healers, but it wasn’t something he was striving for anyway. What he could do now was more than enough. 

“How are you not done yet? This hurts like hell!” Patroka’s ether began to flare around her so Akhos reached out and flicked her ear. “Ow!,” she exclaimed. “What the hell Akhos?”

“I told you dear sister, if you draw in too much ether it’ll start to heal your body. I need your regeneration to be as slow as possible to accomplish this task. So let me concentrate.” 

When Patroka had arrived back at the Marsanes, barely conscious and writhing in agony, Akhos had felt his heart shudder. If it hadn’t been for the auto-return function her ship wouldn’t have made it to the Marsanes at all. 

Akhos and Mikhail had dragged her out of the ship, but had been unable to find any serious injuries. Parts of her armor had been damaged, but not reformed. There was a sack of Core Crystals in the ship with Patroka so she had clearly had a successful hunt, yet she was still wracked with pain, unable to respond coherently.

They had rushed her to the Medbay for treatment and Akhos had dug into their limited supply of painkillers to help her. With a little assistance from his ether treatment she had become coherent enough to tell them that she had been wounded, but even after regenerating the pain wouldn’t go away. 

Flesh Eaters could still regenerate like normal Blades, though some, supposedly, experienced slower or imperfect healing. Seeing Patroka in that state, Akhos had feared the worst. Her body had healed improperly or was breaking down. Soon she would begin to decay and waste away like a failed Flesh Eater.

It had taken all of Akhos’ willpower not to break down. Patroka was his family. No matter what she said, they shared a bond. Not just Blades whose Drivers had been siblings, but brother and sister in truth. The genetic information that they had joined to their bodies was that of siblings, but even without that Akhos knew they would still be brother and sister. They had been driven to become Flesh Eaters by similar feelings. They were alike in many ways. 

Akhos had, in large part, become a Flesh Eater _for_ Patroka. Patroka herself didn’t seem to understand their connection. Mikhail and Jin seemed to. Malos...well after learning that the second Aegis was a woman Akhos had referred to them as siblings. For a few minutes afterwards Akhos had been certain Malos was going to kill him.

Despite Akhos’ terror, he had begun to operate, seeking in her body what damage there might still be. Probing her with ether. That was when he had found it. The cruel ingenuity of Humans. 

One of the people Patroka had been fighting managed to shoot her with some kind of bolt weapon. The bolt had pierced her side and then blown apart. Not with great force, but enough to litter her insides with tiny hunks of metal. The injuries would have killed a Human, but for a Blade it was something much worse.

Patroka’s regenerative abilities had sealed her wounds up around the shrapnel. Her body, though made of a latticework of complicated ether particles like all Blades, still functioned like a more traditional organic species. Her muscles and flesh had been unable to push the metal out and, still detecting ongoing damage, continuously tried to heal her. The constant shifting of the steel barbs as well as the constant ether drain from the healing process had caused Patroka agony so great she had been reduced to a shuddering mess.

Bit by bit Akhos was able to pull the pieces out of her, healing the damaged tissue as he went. It was slow going. Akhos lacked the precise level of control necessary to remove the offending bits of metal with greater alacrity. Truthfully, since she was a Blade, he could have ripped the metal out by force and then healed her afterwards. That hadn’t really been an option. Inflicting such deliberate gratuitous pain on his own sister? Akhos might enjoy a bit of cruelty here and there, but not aimed at her. Never Patroka.

At long last Akhos dropped the final shard into the container and set to closing up her body. He would use his own healing to restore her rather than letting her regeneration finish the job. She had experienced enough strain and suffering as it was. 

Patroka let out a long exhausted sigh. “Finally. I was getting real sick of trying to lay still while you were poking around inside my body.”

“Well you’ll be fine with a little rest. Get some food and water in you. Make sure not to exert yourself for a few days. Also, try not to use ether unless absolutely necessary. Your body needs to recuperate from the strain.” Patroka grumbled something in response and brought her arms up so she could rest her cheek on them.

“Yeah, whatever. Get me a shirt from my room will you? My clothes are ruined thanks to that bastard and you. I’ll be damned if I let you or Architect forbid Mikhail see me wandering around topless.” Akhos chuckled a little in response and walked to the sink so he could wash up from the surgery.

“I’ll be sure to do that. Reforming your clothes shouldn’t take too much ether. I’d allow that if you’re feeling uncomfortable.” Patroka muttered something incomprehensible. “What was that dear sister?”

Louder this time she said, “I’m bad at it, okay? I was never able to fix holes in my armor by thinking about it, I always had to use more ether to reform my outfit entirely. But ever since I became a Flesh Eater it takes a couple tries to get it right. My ether reserves are basically shit right now so I don’t think I can do it.”

“Hmmm.” Now that was interesting. She had never told him that before.

“Hmmm what? Are you getting me a shirt or not?” Patroka sounded more embarrassed now than she was angry. Although with her they were often one and the same. Admitting any sort of weakness or incapability was tantamount to blasphemy for her.

“Nothing. Just speculating to myself why that might be. Someone who understands Blade biology better might be able to make a solid theory, but I haven’t got a clue. I’ll get you your clothes.” He made for the door and faintly heard Patroka whisper something that might have been a thank you. Or maybe telling him to shut it. Either was equally possible.

When Akhos exited the Medbay he found Mikhail sitting there waiting. The other Blade jumped and looked to Akhos expectantly. “Well?”

Akhos smiled faintly. Perhaps if Mikhail showed Patroka this face rather than the overbearing flirtatious one she’d be more apt to accept his advances. Doubtful, but there it was. “She’ll be fine. She needs rest to finish her recovery, but that’s all. Oh, and I wouldn’t step into that room before I get back.”

“Huh? Why?” 

“Because she’s topless in there. I suspect she would kill you if you went in before I returned with a fresh shirt.” As Akhos walked away he could practically feel how hard Mikhail was concentrating on his internal debate. To go in or not to go in. Akhos couldn’t decide either. Which would be funnier that is. Probably best for Mikhail to stay alive, but…

On his walk to her room and back Akhos found himself considering something. The more he thought about it the more the idea seemed a good one. He had proposed something similar to Jin once in the past and been summarily shut down, but this would be different. 

Mikhail was leaning against the wall outside the Medbay, looking in perfect health. Clearly he had chosen to remain outside. Akhos winked at Mikhail as he passed by. “Go ask Jin and Malos to meet up in the dining area. Patroka and I will be along shortly. I’ve got something I’d like to discuss with them.”

About a quarter of an hour later Akhos and Patroka made their way into the dining room where the three other members of Torna awaited. Malos looked up as they entered. “What’s this about Akhos? I was busy.”

_‘Busy doing what exactly? Brooding?’_

Jin, Akhos suspected, had likely been watching the woman in ice. He often went there for hours at a time, simply watching her without speaking or moving. Lost in thought. Or time. As for Malos, Jin wasn’t certain what the man got up to in his spare time. He was very goal oriented and seemed to struggle and become listless or angry when there was no task at hand. Akhos could appreciate that. Everyone needed some sort of purpose in life.

“I thought while I talked I could make dinner for everyone. Patroka needs some food in her stomach right now. Do you mind?” 

Before anyone else could speak, Jin responded. “That would be fine. I can offer some assistance.”

It was rare that Jin helped with the cooking. Whenever he did he proved to be an exceptional chef. Better than Akhos or Patroka, that was certain. Malos liked to grill up a steak every so often, but he wasn’t much for sharing a kitchen. Mikhail just liked to eat the food, but he never seemed to mind cleaning up regardless of who did the cooking.

Akhos and Jin set to work on preparing a meal for everyone. As they did their prep work Akhos began to explain his idea. “Patroka’s latest injuries aren’t a sign of weakness. They’re an indication of our lack of manpower. Even an excellent warrior, such as Patroka, can’t watch in all directions at once.”

Jin’s knifework didn’t falter as he expertly chopped the vegetables, but Akhos noticed the man’s pale hands tense up momentarily. 

From behind Akhos Mikhail spoke up in his usual lackadaisical fashion. “And that’s why we usually go on serious missions in pairs.”

“Yes, but it’s not always possible to tell which missions will prove to be dangerous. Sometimes there are also too many tasks for us to complete to send most of Torna on a single mission.” Akhos began to lightly rub down the meat, preparing it for cooking. 

Akhos could hear the sneer in Malos’ voice. “If you’re going to suggest what I think you are, best forget it. Jin already said no.”

“No no, it’s something different this time. There’s more than one way to gain new allies. Loyal members of Torna. We need compatriots who can watch our backs in battle. And who better to watch a person’s back than a Blade?” Jin’s knife came to a complete stop. He didn’t turn to look at Akhos, but the ice in his voice was evident.

“Akhos, I’ve already refused your idea. We will not be creating more like us.” Jin paused momentarily and then began cutting the vegetables again.

“Yes I know. That’s why I propose we each Awaken a Blade. A personal ally in battle to watch our backs. We have a treasure trove of them so why not make use of the choicest ones? We’d double our combat power in an instant!” Akhos had been contemplating the idea for a while, but this incident with Patroka had pushed him over the edge. It had to be suggested. He wouldn’t allow her to get hurt like that again.

Patroka was the first to react. “So you think, what, that because that one Flesh Eater last year was able to resonate with another Blade that we can too?”

“It stands to reason. You, Jin, and I are all able to freely resonate with any Driver. The fact that, after testing, we determined that affinity could be linked to any one of us should mean that we are all essentially already Drivers. All five of us are capable of resonating. Otherwise establishing an affinity link would be impossible.” This would work. It had to.

The oil in the pan had started to grow hot enough to begin searing the meat. Jin was working on tossing the onions in it first, getting them to caramelize. Jin looked over at Akhos. “It...isn’t a terrible idea. I, personally, am opposed to it, but if the rest of you wish to pursue this I won’t deny you the opportunity. This is different from forcefully creating more Flesh Eaters.”

Akhos clapped his hands together, starting to get excited. “Perfect! Now if my dear sister would make up a list of the most dangerous Blades she’s encountered on her hunts that could help us narrow this down. Mikhail keeps meticulous records of the Core Crystals we’ve captured so it should be easy to locate the correct ones.”

He looked over his shoulder to gauge their reactions. The other three appeared contemplative. Malos was, as always, difficult to judge, but Mikhail seemed receptive. Patroka seemed thoughtful. Her face suddenly split into a wide vicious grin. “I’ve got a couple ideas. Some Blades that gave even me trouble.”

She began to tap her fingers on the table faster and faster. “I think I know just which one I want. I’ll write up a list of some of the others, see if Mikhail can’t figure out which is which. There was one in particular who was a real pain in the ass...but I don’t really want that one. The way she talked gave me a headache.”

“Oh?” Akhos was already intrigued.

“Yeah, damned Blade had the most annoying lisp, but her ability was the real deal. If I hadn’t managed to take her Driver out from a distance I might have actually lost. Of course she cheated, but…” Patroka trailed off. 

Akhos looked to the other two. “So? What do you fine gentlemen think of my idea?”

Yes, things were finally beginning to improve. If they could just manage to find the Aegis then Malos’ full power would be restored. Then, finally, their true journey would begin. 

Akhos could already feel a new script forming in his mind. Together they would scour everything away. A glorious ending. In the end, after the dust had settled, he and Patroka would truly be free.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special Announcement! Soon I will begin posting a side story starring Vandham and Cole, with appearances by a few others including Mikhail. It's something I actually decided to cut from this story, but I still wanted to write. It will be part of this story's canon, but reading it isn't required to understand what happens in this story. Still, I hope people enjoy it. Expect it to be around 5 to 6 chapters.


	23. Lightning Strikes Twice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We now return to the "present day". The rest of Akhos and Patroka's backstories will be told later on. I'd like to avoid having more than two flashback chapters in a row unless it's absolutely necessary.

The Dandy Tirkin was an ugly ship. Smelly. Rusted. Half of the sailors aboard were missing teeth. Which made it absolutely perfect for Zeke’s budget. Pandy had blanched, practically begging him to reconsider their options, but since this mission wasn’t specifically part of his duties as an Envoy he had to draw from his own funds. Such that they were.

Still, they had arrived! Sure the sailors had been foulmouthed the whole way and certainly a few had made passes at Pandy, but that sort of thing had cleared up after Zeke loomed a little. It was more for their own safety than Pandy’s. Plus it wouldn’t have been good to get kicked off the ship.

Pandy bounced anxiously from foot to foot as the Dandy Tirkin approached its position where it could be lashed in at the docks of Torigoth. “Pandy, I know you’re eager to be off, but I don’t think that’s helping much.”

In fact, some of the sailors were glaring at her. The lightbulbs on her body had flashed a few times as she was hopping around. She looked up at him and positively glared. “I know that, but I’ve just gotta be outta here. It helps distract me, okay?”

“Well, then how about we make a grand exit before they tie the boat up? We’ve already paid for passage after all.” With the glare of the sun shining on her glasses Zeke couldn’t quite judge her expression, but based on her body language he could tell she was suspicious. Of him? What reason could she possibly have to be suspicious of his behavior?

Several dozen scenes flashed through his mind in quick succession. _‘Well, aside from those.’_

The Dandy Tirkin came up alongside the dock, not having come to a complete halt yet. That was enough for Zeke. “Are you ready Pandy?”

“Uh, no?”

“Perfect!” He grabbed her by the waist, turned and offered a bow to the busy sailors. “Farewell gentlemen of the high seas!” Then, before Pandy could properly and unnecessarily protest, he planted a foot on the railing and made a flying leap away from the ship with Pandy clutched in his strong grip.

He landed safely on the dock and set Pandy down, flashing her a big grin. She pouted at him. “Was that really necessary My Prince? Who are you trying to impress here? A bunch of stinky sailors?”

“Everyone, no matter how high or low their station, deserves a good show by the Zekenator!” He posed with one hand partially covering his face for dramatic effect. 

She turned away, still pouting. “Nope, not doing it right now. If we had sailed on a better ship though…”

“Pandy, you’ll break my heart and flatten my wallet if you keep going on like that!” What a dreadful sneak attack she had launched!

A tweedy looking Gormotti fellow was approaching them with a clipboard in hand. He looked them up and down, eyeing Pandy and the Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher with momentary curiosity. “Well, I wasn’t expecting to see a Driver arrive on such a rinky-dink ship.”

Pandy glared at Zeke. “See, I told you!”

The Gormotti man barely reacted. “It seems like it’s one thing after another here lately. The Maelstrom, that talking Titan, and now the poorest Driver I’ve ever seen.”

“Hey now,” said Zeke. “Was that last bit really necessary?”

“Regardless, I’m here to take docking fees from the Dandy Tirkin, but since you’re here I might as well tell you. Due to recent events there’s been a change in policy. All Drivers are to report their presence to Captain Padraigh at the Torigoth Relay Base upon arrival in Torigoth. Failure to do so will lead to fines and temporary imprisonment.” The man sounded as if he had been reading off of a list, which come to think of it might actually be true.

Zeke scratched at his chin. “That is new. I’d heard there was some mess here involving the Aegis, but is that really necessary?”

Pandy waved her hand dismissively. “Like, they probably just want to make it look like they’re doing something. I hear that the Consul of theirs is a fussy type so I bet he’s trying to get Drivers on their side for hunting the Aegis.”

The Gormotti Dockmaster sighed. “I’m afraid you haven’t heard the latest then. Chief Edgar and Captain Padraigh came to the decision together after the Aegis assassinated the Consul. This happened just recently.”

Zeke whistled. “Well that puts a damper on things. The Aegis went right for the Consul eh? Guess she’s got something against the Ardanians. Putting a bounty on her head and all that, you reckon?”

“Err, I suppose. I wouldn’t know. Now please move along, the crew of the Dandy Tirkin will be finished with their docking procedures shortly. Don’t forget to go to Torigoth Relay Base!” With that the Dockmaster waved them away.

Zeke waited until he and Pandy were far enough from anyone else that they wouldn’t be overheard. “The Aegis assassinated the Consul? Something about that doesn’t feel right. Still, we came here looking for her and her Driver so it doesn’t change a lot.”

Pandy reached up and straightened her hat as they began to ascend stairs to the next level. “Do you really think her Driver is involved? He seemed like a good kid and a decent Driver.”

“Rex, you mean? Hard to say. I admit he didn’t strike me as the sort to pull something like this, but doesn’t mean the Aegis is innocent. Wasn’t the last Aegis War supposedly fought because the Aegis went out of control or something? I remember that much from lessons back in the day.” Still, records were scarce. Some indicated there had been two Aegises that battled each other in a devastating war. Yet all the stories were clear on the fact that both Aegises, if there had actually been two, were responsible for the deaths of three continent Titans.

“I mean, maybe. Not like there’s any perfect records from back then. Either way, the whole thing stinks real bad to me.” She briefly pulled her glasses off to clean them with her shirt. 

Zeke paused at the top of the stairs, considering a few things for a moment. “It’s a real shame though.”

“What is, My Prince?”

“It would have been real dramatic to reveal ourselves to the Aegis and her Driver by throwing off cloaks, but...we already did that. Can’t really do it to the same person twice, can we? Maybe we can come up with something else that’s sufficiently cool enough…” There had to be something. Some way.

“That’s what you’re worried about? I should have known.” She muttered something under her breath and grabbed Zeke by the wrist, dragging him along behind her. “Come on, let’s get this meeting with this Captain whatever guy out of the way. I need some real food. Anything other than salted fish again.”

\-------------------

Zeke nodded along, but he had already stopped paying attention to this Padraigh fellow. Torigoth really was up in arms about the whole Aegis thing. Most of the citizens, it seemed, hadn’t cared too much when a bunch of random soldiers had gotten killed. Unsurprising given how many Gormotti still considered the Ardanians an occupying force. But to hear that the Aegis had just waltzed into the Consul’s own office and murdered him? That was something else. 

According to the Captain there had been sightings of the Aegis all over Torigoth, but it was hard to tell which were real and which were the results of citizens panicking. Zeke could understand that. Believing that an immortal Blade was wandering around your city casually picking people off? That’d be enough to scare just about anyone. He doubted most of the Gormotti really understood what the Aegis was. Information about the Aegis War wasn’t exactly well circulated. 

The Captain had made sure they were aware of the bounty on the Aegis’ head, but had actually encouraged them to just report sightings. “A single Driver and Blade can’t fight that thing.” Those had been the Ardanian’s exact words.

Eventually Zeke and Pandy bid the man their farewells and headed out into Torigoth proper. He owed Pandy a proper meal. Not to mention it would give them the opportunity to get a feel for how the citizens were reacting. Hearing it second hand was one thing, getting to witness it directly was another.

The question was, how exactly would they go about tracking down the Aegis? It would be one thing if he knew her destination or goal. If that were the case he and Pandy could just lie in wait until she arrived. But if the Aegis was really wandering around killing people who slighted or threatened her…

“Say Pandy, do you think the Aegis is only after the Ardanians? Could just be because they’ve put a bounty on her head, but it doesn’t sound like she’s actually gone after anyone unaffiliated with Mor Ardain.” It was the logical thought process, but could logic really be applied to the Aegis? If she wasn’t operating by traditional logic then maybe Zeke really was the best opponent for her.

“Hmmm, could be. It doesn’t sound like she wants to just slaughter all of the soldiers though. Think she’s just sending a message? From what that Captain guy said it definitely sounded like he was, ya know, afraid of retaliation. But who counts as affiliated with Mor Ardain then? The soldiers and the Consul, sure, but what about the nobles? Or their Chief? They have a working relationship with the Ardanian government don’t they?” Pandy paused and pointed out a place she wanted to grab food at and they headed that way. It wasn’t their first time in Torigoth after all.

As they sat down to eat Zeke let his attention wander to their surroundings. There was definitely some tension in the air, but it wasn’t as bad as Padraigh had made it sound. Like he had figured, the average citizen just assumed the Aegis was after the Ardanians. Zeke suspected if he went to a bar late in the evening, when the patrons were good and sloshed, he’d hear Gormotti praising her actions. “I took a peek at the Chief’s office on the way out of the base. It was off to the right after we passed Garagorm’s Arch. There were armed Gormotti there and a posting of Ardanian soldiers. I bet the nobles are on guard as well.”

A waiter came over and took their order. Zeke ordered the cheapest full meal he could find on the menu, but Pandy just got something that sounded tasty to her. Its price on the menu made Zeke wince a little. After the waiter left Zeke continued the conversation. “I did think of one way I might be able to bait out the Aegis.”

“It’s something stupid, isn’t it?” Now why would she go and say a thing like that with a straight face?

“Course not! It’s downright brilliant is what it is! I bet it’ll work too!” So he proceeded to explain the plan to her. After he was done she nodded twice and then propped her chin in her hands.

“I knew it. It is stupid. But with your luck I think it’ll work.” She sighed in an exaggerated fashion. The kind meant to aggravate him deliberately.

“Wait, but you always say I’ve got terrible luck!” Not that she was wrong, but it still hurt to have it thrown in his face like that.

“Yeah, you do. That’s exactly why I think it’ll work. The most powerful Blade on Alrest wanting to kill you? Sounds like atrocious luck to me.”

\-----------------------

Zeke downed another drink as the men and women around him roared with laughter. He slurred his words as he spoke. “It’s no joke I tell you! Aegis? I can best any Blade out there! If you’re going after an unarmed man there’s no more sport in it than hunting Bunnits! A coward, that’s what she is! A coward and a criminal!”

One of the Gormotti men clapped a hand on his shoulder. “The Consul is a Driver too ya know? What’s one Driver and Blade gonna do different eh?”

With a single exaggerated motion Zeke pointed to Pandy who was gracefully sipping wine directly out of the bottle on the other side of the room. “You see that wonderful Blade over there? That’s my Blade, Pandoria! With her at my side I can defeat any foe. They say the Consul didn’t even have his Blade with him.”

Zeke stood, glass of beer in his hand sloshing with the movement. “You know what I’d do if the Aegis came at me? I’d take her and I’d bend her over my knee. Spank her like the naughty child she is!”

He mimed spanking someone and the crowd roared with laughter. Zeke could practically feel Pandy rolling her eyes at him.

“Tell whoever you like, I’ll kick the arse of that Aegis from here to Tantal! Now if you fine gentlemen and ladies will excuse me, I think I’ll bow out for the night!” He did just that, bowing so deeply that he nearly fell over. 

Pandy stumbled over to him and encircled her arms around his, sagging a little. Together they drunkenly made their way out of the bar and into the night.

Once they were far enough away they both resumed their normal gait. Pandy peered up at him as they walked. “A little much, don’t you think? Spanking the Aegis, really?”

Zeke laughed with delight. “It’s called improvisation Pandy! The more insulted the Aegis is the better. She wants people off her back then this is a good step for her. First she takes down a handful of soldiers and a Blade with no Driver. Then the most powerful person in the province. If she kills a Driver and Blade duo who have been badmouthing her then people start to realize she’s not pulling punches.”

“Yeah yeah, I get it. So how many more bars do you want to hit tonight?” 

“I’d say...two more? Then at first light we take one of those monster bounties and make a big show of bringing it in. The tougher the job the better.” It’d work for sure. She’d probably ignore his boasting if there was a chance he was some weakling, but if he proved his strength he might be able to force her hand.

“And if she brings her Driver and his other Blade?”

“Then we’ll just book it!” He threw back his head and laughed even though it was no joking matter. 

Pandy patted his arm and sighed loudly. “Yeah, I figured that’d be your answer.”

\----------------------

Zeke strolled into town hefting the head of a Rogul called Sniping Brent over his shoulder. Typically he preferred to avoid hunting monsters, but this was a special circumstance. Pandy had encouraged him at several points since, as a Driver, it was one of the best ways to make money. However, as a sort-of representative of Indol it wasn’t becoming to go about doing mercenary work. Course if his old man knew it would have pissed him right off, so that might have been one positive.

The crowd parted to let him and Pandy through, some shocked at the gruesome display and others impressed. Apparently the big ol’ bird had been harassing travelers. Roguls were notoriously territorial creatures and this Sniping Brent had a habit of swooping down and attacking people without warning. Most Roguls would screech at anyone who got too close in order to threaten them off, but Brent did none of that. Just pure aggression.

Zeke made sure to laugh and boast to the people as he passed that the Aegis was next. “Course then,” he said, “she’ll be alive and slung over my shoulder, but don’t worry, I’ll make sure to paddle her good before handing her over to the Ardanians!”

His comments seemed to make the citizens uncomfortable, but they were definitely talking about it amongst each other. Which was exactly the plan. 

If the Aegis did show herself it would prove his suspicions that she was staying somewhere in Torigoth. It’d be easier to hole up in some rinky-dink home in the poor part of town than it would be to repeatedly sneak into town. Her hair wasn’t exactly a color that was common and any Blade stood out. If she was moving around it was at night. Maybe with some kind of disguise.

After reaching the base he exchanged the proof of Sniping Brent’s demise for a decent payout. Honestly it was no surprise most Drivers chose mercenary work as a means to make money. In addition to things like bounties on people and monsters there were lots of places that normal people couldn’t safely go so instead they’d pay Drivers to go for them. Gathering ingredients, doing survey work, all kinds of things. Course there was always the military, but you could say that most Drivers were the independent sort by nature.

With money in hand he visited a fellow known to act as an informant. Zeke had used the little Nopon’s services a few times in the past. This time was different. In part anyway. Some money exchanged hands so that the informant would spread word of Zeke’s smack talk against the Aegis all around town. A little more went to finding out any abandoned homes or the names and locations of any locals who hadn’t been showing their faces lately. Ideal spots that the Aegis might be hiding.

Once that was all said and done he and Pandy made the rounds around town and, once night fell, repeated their act in the local bars. 

The Aegis was in Torigoth. Zeke was certain of it. She had attacked the Consul and left a bounty poster of her behind as a warning. They didn’t put bounty posters up in small villages in Gormott, so the only place she could have snagged it would be in Torigoth. Since White Chair had been destroyed in the war fifty years ago there hadn’t been any other cities in Gormott. 

More to the point, the places that bounty posters would have been set up were all public areas. That meant the Aegis had to walk right up to one and take a poster. Those posters had to be replaced regularly since folks would take them so he couldn’t narrow down where she had taken it from. It just proved that she must have a disguise. Or was exceptionally stealthy. Disguise seemed more likely. Why sneak when you could just waltz in and out?

Zeke didn’t consider himself much of an investigator, but he had tracked down bandits and criminals who were trying to stay out of sight. This wasn’t much different. Some people would say this job was more dangerous, but Zeke didn’t agree. Bandits were liable to kill indiscriminately with little motive except for money. The Aegis wasn’t just wantonly killing people. 

It hadn’t happened in a long time, but Zeke knew from old reports that on the rare instance when a Blade and Driver decided to go wild in the middle of a crowded area the casualties were brutal. The Aegis could have easily slaughtered dozens if not hundreds of people to make her message, but instead she had killed the Consul and one person who was guarding him. Not the work of a thoughtless murderer.

Still, he wasn’t hopeful about the idea of talking her down or getting her to come in willingly. Having to kill someone to get your point across was a sign of weakness. Not the physical kind though.

After making their trip from bar to bar, making sure it was deep into the middle of the night, Zeke and Pandy split away from the winding areas of town and ventured into the areas where there were no businesses. Just homes. One of the first places on his list to check was a recently abandoned home.

That turned out to be a bust. There wasn’t a soul living there and there were clear signs the place had been searched by the soldiers. That was no surprise. It had been the home of the Driver whose Blade had been spotted in the company of the Aegis. 

Next he ventured down into the poorer areas. This section was a warren of small wooden homes, some of which hung from the bottom of the walkway. Zeke had to whistle in admiration of the raw destruction when he saw the apartment that was missing its entire floor. That was some serious damage. No one was there.

Two of the apartments turned out to be legitimately empty with no signs of occupants. The third on his list of supposedly abandoned living spaces had squatters, but none of them was the Aegis. After a little gold was passed their way it became clear that they hadn’t seen the Aegis either. 

The first of the homes whose owners hadn’t been seen in a while turned out to still be lived in by a very angry couple. Which made perfect sense since Zeke had knocked on their door in the dead of night. Apparently they had been avoiding going out into town recently because they were afraid of the Aegis.

There was only one remaining place to look on the list he had been given. A tiny place whose owner, a young woman, rarely left under normal circumstances, but hadn’t been seen coming out in weeks. A total recluse they said, nervous around people and constantly looking over her shoulder. The informant wasn’t sure if she was just twitchy or if she was on the run for something illegal. Not that it mattered for Zeke.

He knocked. There was no answer. Knocked again. Still no answer. He exchanged looks with Pandy who just shrugged in response. Zeke felt a little bad about this, but nevertheless he pounded hard on the door. Still nothing. Pandy moved up and put her ears against the door. She didn’t have super hearing or anything, but her long ears were definitely more sensitive than his.

“There’s someone in there,” she whispered. “Moving around.”

“Right...you wanna handle this next part?” He stepped aside to let Pandy do her thing. Pointedly he looked away. Pandy liked to have him pretend that she wasn’t quite so good with this particular skill set.

Zeke heard a little click a few moments later and he turned around. “Unlocked already?”

She grinned wickedly at him. “They must have forgotten to lock up.” As if she hadn’t just expertly picked the lock in seconds.

Slowly Zeke opened the door and they stepped inside. It was dark in there, but the glow coming from Pandy’s body quickly lightened the area a bit. “Hello? Please don’t be alarmed. This isn’t a robbery, I’m just making sure you’re safe. Nobody has seen you in weeks.”

Zeke drew the Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher from his back on pure instinct at the sight of something shining and coming toward him. A broadsword impacted heavily against his own weapon and the attacker jumped backwards. Pandy established their link in that same instance and electricity began to crackle around the sword. “Well, that wasn’t the welcome I was looking for.”

“You should leave. I really don’t want to hurt you.” That was a woman’s voice, sure enough. Her accent was unfamiliar. Now that his eye was getting used to the darkness he was able to make out the glow of ether framing her body. A Blade, sure enough. Was it the Aegis though?

“If you didn’t want to hurt me maybe you shouldn’t have come in swinging. You’re lucky I’m good with this thing.” He was lucky too. That attack had some serious power behind it. He’d have lost his head if he had been an instant slower.

“I was planning on stopping with the sword at your neck. You barged into my home so excuse me if I got defensive. I have a right to my privacy.” Her voice was strong and sure. She certainly seemed confident that she would have been able to stop her blow in time.

“Well then, I’ll leave if you answer one question truthfully for me. Are you the Aegis?”

Silence was the response he received. “Well I suppose that answers that. I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you outside.”

“And if I don’t comply?” Ah there it was. An air of menace in her voice that hadn’t been there moments earlier.

“Then I’ll force the issue.” Zeke tightened his grip on his sword, preparing himself for a fight. In some ways he was disappointed. Finding her like this...didn’t that mean his efforts in the bars and bringing down that Rogul had been pointless?

“Psh, yeah whatever. Who do you think you are?” Oh what a perfect set-up! Absolutely ideal!

Zeke raised the Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher above his head and let lightning arc off of it. He slid his right leg to the side so he could lean slightly. Just behind him Pandy mimicked his posing. “I am the mighty Zeke von Genbu, Bringer of Chaos! Also known as Zeke, or the Zekenator!”

He whirled and motioned to Pandy. “And this is my glorious Blade, Pandoria!”

Finally he grasped the Dreamsmasher’s hilt with his other hand and took a fighting stance. “In my hands the mighty weapon, the Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher!”

“And now prepare to meet the third member of our team! The indispensable mascot character that neither of us has ever forgotten to feed or accidentally left behind somewhere! Witness~” A massive blast of ether careened straight at him and struck a barrier that Pandy formed. Her shield dispersed the attack, but just barely. She was a powerful Blade, but barriers weren’t exactly her forte. 

Pandy, bless her, snapped at their enemy. “Hey, interrupting people in the middle of introductions is super rude lady!”

“Yeah, shorten the intro next time. Well...not like you’ll live to see a next time. You’re the idiot that’s been going around town drunkenly talking shit about me, aren’t you?” Aha! So his efforts hadn’t been totally pointless after all! They’d made her mad. Which was good. Right? Wait, what had his plan been again? Piss off the most powerful Blade on Alrest?

It had seemed like a good idea at the time. Well, not good per se, but smart. Smart-ish anyway. Smart adjacent. 

The woman still shrouded mostly in darkness kept talking. “If we’re doing intros, I guess it’s my turn. I am the Aegis! And I’m going to kill you, your Blade, and your dumb mascot!”

Another blast of ether came flying their way, so Zeke ducked under the attack and rushed out of the building. Swinging a sword as big as his around in an enclosed space was a bad choice. He ran out onto the walkway and turned back around, readying himself to face her. “Pandy, I think we’ve gone and done it this time.”

“That’s okay, looks like it’s just one on two!” Pandy stood behind him and off to the side, her hands raised as she channeled ether into him. 

A slim hand grasped the top of the doorframe and a slender short blonde woman swung herself out, landing on the railing of the wooden walkway. Without wasting a moment she ran atop the narrow railing right towards Zeke. In a dress of white and gold, with long blonde hair flaring out behind her and a two handed broadsword held in a single hand the Aegis cut a surprisingly imposing figure. 

She swung her broadsword at him as she passed, but Zeke deflected it, using the Dreamsmasher as a sort of makeshift shield. The force of her strike made his hands sting. “You’re a nimble one aren’t you?”

Zeke grasped the Dreamsmasher and aimed at her legs. As he was expecting she jumped up and over the attack, flipping above and behind him. However, Zeke and Pandy were ready for it. Halfway into his swing he halted the strike, detached the handle, and tossed it behind him. Now he was gripping onto the edge of just the sword itself.

Pandy snagged the handle and waved it in the air like a baton or a wand, sending a fierce bolt of lightning at the Aegis. The enemy Blade erected a shield, but not quite fast enough. Some of the electricity struck her in the chest and she slumped as she took the force of it. Still, a Blade wouldn’t go down that easily.

With a quick spin Zeke moved next to Pandy’s side and held out the blade portion. Pandy smoothly reconnected the hilt to it and he took over. “So, how do you like that Aegis? Pretty good eh?”

The Aegis let her barrier drop and ran a bare hand through her hair, tossing it arrogantly over her shoulder. “Neat trick, but if that’s the extent of your firepower I’ve got nothing to worry about. Let me show you...the power of the Aegis!”

“Yeah yeah! I like the sound of that! Bring it on!” Things were going well, but what else did the Aegis have in store for them?

With that one hand she swung her broadsword diagonally and a faint line was traced in the air. Zeke rolled out of the way, grabbing Pandy as he moved. The wooden planks he had been standing on and the railing behind him were cleanly sliced in half by that nearly invisible attack.

“Tch, I was hoping you’d try to block that.” She had barely even taken a fighting stance so far. Her form was sloppy, but it seemed like she was brimming with confidence. Still cool as could be she stalked a little closer, her form becoming clearer in the moonlight. Golden eyes glared out at him and her Core Crystal…

“Well now, that’s interesting. Say, Aegis...mind telling me your name?”

“Why? Want to know who to curse when you die?” She swung her sword twice, creating an x-pattern in the air. Pandy and Zeke each dodged to a different side and sure enough those thin lines took slices out of everything in their path.

“Call it curiosity is all! I think I’ve got a couple questions for you after that!” He aimed the Dreamsmasher right at her and let rip a big Art. “Overload Thunder Beam!”

A chest thick column of lightning erupted from the tip of his sword and lanced directly at the Aegis. She dodged to the side, but her right arm was grazed slightly by the attack and burnt. “You’re an annoying one!”

Zeke dodged two more of that strange Art she was using. It was deadly, but if you could tell it was coming it wasn’t very fast. “People tell me that all the time!”

Pandy piped up cheerfully from the side. “Oh definitely. Practically every day.”

“Pandy...this is when you decide to agree with me?”

The Aegis grimaced and ruffled a hand through her hair. “Argh, you two are pissing me off! Why won’t you people just leave me alone?”

“Maybe stop killing people and it won’t be a problem? Although I’m guessing that’s not an option anymore. I’m still waiting for your answer by the way.” 

“Ugh, fine. I’ll tell you in your last moments. The name is Mythra!” She waved her sword through the air and flows of ether gathered around her. The air itself seemed to become compressed within those streams of ether until they formed small tightly packed semi-translucent balls of green-ish ether. Each was about the size of a person’s fist.

“That’s a new one…”

Mythra pointed her broadsword at them and the balls of ether shot straight for Zeke and Pandy. Now these attacks were a lot faster than the other type! “Are we playing catch? I’m game!”

He swung the Dreamsmasher to bat aside her attacks with the flat of the sword. The moment it made contact with a few of them they popped and a wave of force hit him. Super-heated air that explosively detonated. 

Zeke found himself tumbling backwards and barely managed to get himself back onto his feet in time. She was on top of him immediately, leaping forward with a downward chop of the sword. His body was singed, but the sword had taken the brunt of the attack. He raised up the blade and blocked her attack, crossing swords with her.

She pressed down with both hands, her broadsword inching closer to his face. “How’d you like that one? If I gather up wind ether together I can create explosives just by super-condensing air and then stirring it up! A little impact ignites the oxygen and bam! Instant kaboom!”

“Neat trick. You going to tell me your name yet?” Annoyance and confusion warred across her face for the split second it took for Pandy to fire a bolt of electricity at her, forcing her to flip backwards and out of the way. She performed a series of back handsprings to create some distance between them.

“I already told you! I’m the Aegis! My name is Mythra. I bet this is why nobody likes you.” 

Zeke hopped to his feet and rolled his shoulders, getting the kinks out. “Hey now, who said nobody likes me?”

“I’m just the perceptive type.”

Pandy stuck out her tongue at the other woman. “Hey, that’s super rude! I like him even if nobody else does.”

“Pandy that’s uh...I don’t feel like you actually defended me just now…”

“Damn it! I’m sick of this stupid comedy duo schtick you two idiots have going on! Why don’t you just die already?!” She began to form more of these ether bombs, but Zeke decided it was time to go on the attack.

He let Pandy’s ether flow through him in a special manner, sending electricity through his muscles and nerves in just the right places. A bit of a special trick they had figured out. He stepped forward...and flashed ahead at high speed. With this boost his speed was much greater than most people would expect.

She reacted well, but was barely able to get her broadsword up in time. His swings were rapidfire and heavy, driving her back. Now she was the one on the backfoot. Zeke grinned down at her. “Now I’m really feeling it!”

“I don’t give a damn what you’re feeling!” The ether flared around her and wind began to swirl in a circle that surrounded them. Faster and faster it moved, lashes of wind ether striking out seemingly at random and striking his skin. They were incredibly quick, but super weak. Barely even papercuts. But they were coming so fast and piling up.

She grinned wildly at him. “I’ll slice you into ribbons!”

“With this? Don’t bother. You’d be doing better if you used your actual weapon!” He pressed harder, drawing further on Pandy’s ether. He could see it. The cracks were beginning to form.

“What the hell are you going on about now?”

“Just...this!” One last swing and the moment it connected her broadsword snapped in half. Stunned, his foe jumped up and backwards, still holding onto the hilt of the broken sword.

Zeke shook his head in exasperation. The whirlwind she had formed finally dissipated. “Reinforce it with your ether all you want, but that’s just a metal broadsword. It can’t keep up with a real Blade weapon. So why aren’t you using yours?”

“That...but it…”, she stumbled suddenly, clutching at her head. “Shut up! I use a sword! That’s my sword!”

He shouldered the Dreamsmasher and wagged a finger at her. “Why won’t you give up this ridiculous facade lady? What’s your name? Who are you?”

“I keep telling you, I’m the Aegis Mythra!” She tossed the broken sword to the side and held out her hand, focusing. No additional sword formed. From the looks of her she was starting to grow dizzy.

“Why won’t it…”

Pandy strolled up a little closer, still with one hand up to continue supplying Zeke with ether. “An Emerald Core Crystal is the sign of the Aegis. It’s a common story told amongst Drivers. But you…”

Mythra, or whoever she was, looked down at the cross-shaped Core Crystal on her chest. “Emerald...but I…”

Zeke’s Blade continued. “Call it what you want, but doesn’t that Core Crystal of yours mean you’re a Flesh Eater?”

The blonde woman looked sick, staring at her blue and red core. “Flesh...Eater? I don’t understand...I’m the Aegis…”

She reached up and clutched the sides of her head and groaned in pain. “I’m the Aegis...my name...is Mythra…”

“Say it however many times you want, but you aren’t the Aegis. There’s something strange going on here. If you come with me back to Indol I~” Zeke yelped as the woman raised her head to glare at him, raw fury in her eyes.

“I won’t go to Indol! I won’t let them take me!” She held her hands out to the side and formed more of her ether balls. Then with a gesture she sent them spinning at Zeke.

“Stop blowing holes in the walkway lady! I’m trying to help you out here!” He swung the Dreamsmasher down from his shoulder with one hand, sending an array of lightning blasting out. The electricity ignited the ether bubbles long before they could reach him, but their detonations filled the air with fire and blocked his line of sight.

“Pandy, there’s something seriously wrong here. I feel like we stumbled into something strange!”

“Yeah, no kidding!”

Something shot out of the midst of the fire. It barely missed Zeke, but took a nice gouge across his left shoulder. “Argh!”

Whatever it was retreated back into the flames. Then again it came at him, but this time Pandy deflected it with her barrier. 

At last the flames simmered enough for him to see. Now Mythra, or whoever she was, was holding a sickle and chain, one end like a miniature scythe and the other weighted. There was a core shaped like a pentagon embedded at the bottom of the weighted end. Their enemy was swinging the sickle end in a rapidly moving circle.

Her body seemed to be distorting. Her white dress kept flickering like it was trying to change color or shape. The same was happening to other parts of her body, from her hair to her eyes and even her face. There was a manic expression plastered on. “I’ll kill everyone in this city before I’ll let the Praetorium take me! I’m not...not going…”

The sickle and chain dropped from her hands and pooled along the ground. The Flesh Eater dropped to her hands and knees and began to retch and vomit, emptying the contents of her stomach onto the damaged wood beneath her. 

Finally she slumped to the side and there was a bright flash of ether as her entire body changed. Her overall height and body shape were similar, but her hair was a deep black and tied into one long braid. No longer was she wearing a dress, but instead she was wearing combat boots, dark navy pants and long-sleeved shirt with a red scarf tied around her neck. 

Zeke and Pandoria approached carefully. The Flesh Eater appeared to be unconscious, but it was best to be certain. When he crouched down to check he was able to verify that her Core Crystal now matched the same pentagonal shape that had been on the sickle and chain. Still the red and blue of a Flesh Eater’s core. 

Pandy tugged at the sleeve of his coat. “My Prince...what on Alrest could change the shape of a Blade’s Core Crystal? Or make them think they were someone else?”

“I haven’t the foggiest. I’ve never heard of anything like it. The how, the why, and the who are quite the mystery, but…”

The Nopon informant had given them basic descriptions of the inhabitants who hadn’t been seen in a while. Her hair and that scarf, which it looked like could be positioned to cover her core, matched that of the woman in question. Whoever she was, this Flesh Eater had been living in Torigoth for quite some time.

“There’s one thing that’s almost certain though. If she’s the Aegis who killed the soldiers and the Consul then the real one is innocent. And still out there somewhere.”

Looks like there was a lot of work ahead of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is still so much fun to write Zeke. He and Pandy are such an enjoyable duo to work with. This chapter is ever so slightly shorter than normal, but I wanted it to be focused solely on this with no cutaways to other events. Some of the upcoming chapters might be a little longer than normal though.


	24. Her Convictions, Her Assumptions

Rex leaned against the railing of his boat, their boat, and watched the back of the ancient Titan they were moored to. Once again Tora came puffing on by, his little feet desperately pattering away to keep pace. Behind him was Nia who lightly jogged to stay close. Occasionally she would call out encouragement or, just as frequently, she’d harangue him, telling him not to stop or that he was flabby and out of shape. 

Behind both of them trailed Poppi who, rather than running, was skipping along. Exercise didn’t do anything for her, but she had joined them either out of curiosity or to make sure Tora didn’t get too down or exhausted. 

The whole thing had been Nia’s idea after Tora had complained about being exhausted by their fight with the Core Crystal hunters. Training muscles and fighting skills was one thing, but if you didn't have the stamina to back it up then it wouldn’t matter. That had been Nia’s reasoning. Of course Nia had just wanted Vess to add calisthenics to the training menu, but Vess had encouraged Nia to take over that part. 

Rex still hadn’t been able to figure out if Vess was messing with Nia, needed a little time away from the training regime, or genuinely thought Nia was better suited to the task than her. Mythra had offered to help, but that had merely spooked Tora. 

It still wasn’t clear how many laps they were planning on doing. Tora had already collapsed twice, but Nia had inspected his physical condition and informed him that medically he hadn’t hit his limits. He was just being a “weak-willed flabby lazy fluffball”. Her exact words. Still, it seemed to have worked. 

Rex had joined them for a few laps around the Titan, but after a while Nia had shooed him away. Apparently he was somehow simultaneously encouraging and discouraging Tora. Also Nia’s words. Seemed like a complete contradiction, but Rex had backed down.

Once the trio were out of sight Rex turned around so his back was leaning against the railing and watched the pair inside the ship. With the limited supply of spices that had been stocked on the ship plus some of the ingredients they had scrounged from the Titan, Vess was giving cooking lessons to a very reluctant Mythra.

“I’m already a great cook!”, Mythra had insisted. Thankfully Tora had been in the middle of exercise. So Mythra had instead looked to Rex. 

His own reply had been, “She’s something else for sure.”

Vess had just kept smiling and convinced Mythra to let her indulge in a few lessons. “It will be fun, and I bet we can both learn a lot.” Rex was impressed at how tactful Vess was being. 

At the current moment Vess was standing behind Mythra as the shorter woman chopped an onion. Vess stepped in and placed her hand over Mythra’s. “Your grip goes like this dear. You’ll have better control over the knife and it’ll be faster. Helps for making swift even cuts.”

“Huh? Does it really matter what size the pieces are in? It’s an onion no matter what you do to it.” Still, she complied and changed her grip. Vess guided her on the first few slices and then let Mythra take over. Mythra proved perfectly capable of replicating the process for the rest of the onion, taking only a few more moments.

“Of course. Whether it be vegetable, dairy, or meat, different textures appeal to different people. In fact, you can change the cooking time and flavor depending on how you cut something. The ingredients need to work together to achieve a certain level of harmony. Something that brings out the best flavors from each.”

Mythra looked over her shoulder at Vess and frowned slightly. “Huh? That’s pretty philosophical for talking about cooking. I’m not sure I get it. Tasty things are tasty, aren’t they? Like, a good steak doesn’t stop tasting good just because you serve it with sweet carrots.”

Vess tapped the halo around her left wrist, sending it spinning gently in a circle. “That’s true, but there are flavors that contrast too harshly and weaken each other. On the other hand you can have ingredients that differ from each other act to cover each other’s differences. Where one is weak, the other can be strong. As it were.”

“Like Driver and Blade, right?”, asked Rex. He wasn’t sure why he had spoken up, but the thought had popped into his mind. It just...felt like what Vess was describing.

Both women turned to look at him, Vess still smiling and Mythra completely neutral. “That’s a good comparison Rex. Yes, much like Drivers and Blades. Does that make more sense Mythra?”

She chewed her bottom lip and then shrugged. “I mean, I guess. I’m strong so I can’t say I’ve ever thought of it that way.”

Vess reached out and patted Mythra on the head, causing the shorter woman to glare up at her. “Not all types of weakness and strength are related to fighting. Whether it be Drivers and Blades or just a group of friends, everyone has things they’re good at that cover for those that their friends aren’t. For instance, neither of us would be able to do repairs or maintenance on this ship, but we could reliably leave that to Rex and Tora, right?”

Mythra held up her hands as if to ward them off. “Okay okay, I get it. Jeez, I thought we were talking about cooking. So if different types of textures and flavors work together or against each other, how am I supposed to know that?”

“Practice. Patience. A little teaching. Starting with an existing recipe and following it to the letter can help you gauge these things as well.” Vess set out a carrot for Mythra to cut up next.

“But doing it without a recipe is more fun. Finding things that look good and combining them together...it’s so interesting isn’t it?” Despite her protests, Mythra obediently set to chopping the carrot, using the knife grip that Vess had shown her. 

“Maybe. Every cook experiences the act differently I suppose. Still, the more recipes you follow the better you learn the ingredients and cooking methods. That makes it easier and, in your case, more fun to experiment later.” She leaned in to correct the size of cuts Mythra was making, but then stepped back just as quickly. Mythra always seemed to pick up whatever she was shown with little effort.

Honestly, despite her gaps on certain things Rex couldn’t help but be in awe of Mythra at times. Powerful, strong-willed, and able to learn just about anything almost immediately. Rex didn’t know if it was the fact that being the Aegis was something special or if it was just what she was like, but it was impressive to witness either way. Mythra could be stubborn, well most of the time, but if she decided to tackle something head on she went for it with gusto.

A little earlier, while Nia was busy forcing Tora to jog, Rex had done a little spearfishing. Mythra had actually joined him to make the job a little faster. It only took a few tries before she got the process down. Rex had been spearfishing since he was a little kid and she had picked it up effortlessly. He couldn’t even be mad about it. That was just the kind of person she was.

So far, during this lesson, it seemed like Mythra’s own opinions on how cooking was supposed to work were the only thing holding her back. When she took Vess’ advice she did the task nearly to perfection. Still, they were only at the preparation stage. There’d be no telling what it would be like once the cooking proper began. Rex didn’t know if he should expect Mythra to fight Vess every step of the way.

Rex wasn’t much of a cook himself so he couldn’t fault her. Oh he could cook basic things, but he usually relied on dishes that were simple in their preparation. Grilling fish or crustaceans, broiled or boiled vegetables, that sort of thing. He grew some plants that were useful for cooking, but those took a while so he didn’t use them every day. Once Gramps arrived those could be transferred onto this ship.

Now that he thought about it, if Gramps did still want to follow the boat along, which from his complaints sounded like was his plan, maybe the ornery old Titan would let Rex convert the living quarters on his back into something of a greenhouse. The ether emitted by a healthy Titan could actually improve the vitality of soil if used in moderation. That was part of how plants started growing on Titans in the first place.

If nothing had gone wrong Gramps should be arriving sometime that day or at the latest by early tomorrow. Rex was hopeful he’d have the opportunity to talk quietly with the Titan first to tell him about Nia. He didn’t want to force that knowledge on her. If she asked he would tell her, but it didn’t seem right to try and make it happen.

Rex had gotten a reminder of that just the previous night. They had all been having dinner together and Rex was trying to joke around with Nia. He hadn’t been conscious of it, but he had been trying out old jokes on her to see if she’d react like the previous Nia. Maybe a part of him had known what he was doing, but in hindsight he couldn’t tell. Was he painting himself in a better light because he didn’t want to believe that he would act that way?

Partway through Mythra had suddenly stood up and placed a hand on Rex’s shoulder. “Rex, come with me. We need to talk. Now.”

Confused, Rex had followed her until they were a safe distance away. Once they were out of sight Mythra turned and slapped him. Not especially hard, but strong enough to sting. “Hey what the hell?”, he had yelped.

“I can tell what you’re doing. You’re trying to get her to be the old Nia. Rex, that’s not okay. She’s not the same person. You have to just let her be herself.”

“I wasn’t doing that!”

“Like hell you weren’t. You think I can’t tell you’re using old jokes on her just to see if she’ll respond the same way the last Nia did? Do you think that’s okay?” She had been so intense. Fierce, but not in a scary way.

“I, well…”

Mythra had jabbed him in the chest with a finger, just below the core embedded in his chest. “Of course it’s not! You’re better than that and she doesn’t deserve that shit, okay?”

“Yeah...okay. I wasn’t trying to...I mean...I don’t want to force anything…”

She had rolled her eyes and used that same finger to poke him dead center on his forehead. “Get a clue Rex. It doesn’t matter if you meant to do it or not. Just make sure you don’t do it in the future, okay?”

“Right...I get it.” He had felt so dejected in that moment. He wanted to make the people around him smile so the thought that he might have been hurting someone, especially Nia, by behaving like a selfish idiot…

Mythra had sighed and turned away from him, her tone changing as she spoke. Even her body language changed, her shoulders held more loosely and her hands clasped around her stomach. It even seemed like she stood a little straighter, rather than with the slight sideways leaning posture she often took. “Everyone does foolish things Rex. The important thing is that we learn from them and grow.”

She had tilted her head to gaze up at the moon and Rex had felt traces of ether fluttering away from her and into him. Not a complete affinity link, but something like the tentative beginnings of one. Her voice, so much softer now, was like those previous nights. “Nia thinks you were close to her old Driver, you know?”

“I...she does?”

“She picked up on how you act around her almost immediately. I don’t know what else she’s thinking, but I do know that she can tell. Rex, I’m sorry about slapping you earlier...I shouldn’t have been so forceful but...I think it hurts her.” 

“Mythra...did she...ask? Do you think she wants to know?” Maybe it would be best if Nia would just ask. Then it could all be out in the open. He hated keeping things from her. From anyone really.

“I think she’s still deciding. I told her that I’d answer her questions as best as I could if she wanted to know, but in the moment she held off. What do you plan to say when she asks?” Rex had squinted into the darkness. In that moment it had seemed like the ends of Mythra’s hair were changing colors, but it was gone. A trick of the light.

“The truth. Every part of it. Whatever she wants to know. How we met. What the old Nia was like. That night on the ship...all of it. Truthfully I want her to ask. There’s this pressure in my chest when I think about it. I don’t like that feeling. Like I’m lying to someone I care about.” 

“Yes. No one likes lying to the people that matter to them. Even if sometimes a kind lie is better than the harsh truth.” Mythra had turned and Rex had caught a solid look at her eyes. They were red, just like those other nights.

“Mythra, your eyes are…”, in that instant her irises returned to their usual brilliant gold color. Her stance changed and the soft expression on her face grew more like Mythra’s usual aloof neutral expression. Rex didn’t think she was trying to act like she was above or better than others. That was just what she looked like when she was at ease. Like how some people look mean when they were concentrating.

“Don’t worry, just messing around with it. Even I get bored sometimes, you know?” Rex had nodded even though he wasn’t sure he understood. 

“Come on Rex, let’s get back to the others.”

Even now, in the present, Rex wasn’t certain what to think. Mythra was a mysterious woman, that was for sure. So changeable and sudden, able to be fearsome one moment, embarrassed the next, and then soft and kind an instant later. She was complicated in a way he hadn’t experienced before. 

It wasn’t easy, understanding her. But, standing there watching her trying to bicker with Vess over the proper way to make stock, he couldn’t help smiling. No, it wasn’t easy. It sure was fun though.

\---------------------------

Jin shook the blood from his sword and kept walking without breaking stride. The last of the soldiers guarding the shipment was dead at his feet. 

Calmly he approached the sealed storage area that contained the shipment of Core Crystals. With no effort he sliced the solid door into pieces, opening the path inside. However, when he entered the room he paused momentarily. There had been a strange sound.

He reached his senses out through the ether, but detected no Blades. Normal Humans would be no threat. Yet even so, his instincts said he should be wary. There was something familiar about that sound.

Jin breathed in and out, falling into a calming rhythm. His eyes drifted closed as he closed off those senses to focus his ears. What was the sound he was hearing? A distant sizzling or almost grinding sound.

A hundredth of a second after realizing what the noise was he jumped backwards a few meters, just in time to avoid the floor crumbling away at his feet. Something had burst up and melted the floor in a section around the Core Crystal shipment. The hunk of metal flooring fell down the next level. 

Jin flickered ahead to the edge of the cut floor and peered down. Something had scutteled away, taking the cores with it. Without hesitating he dropped down and looked around. There was no sign of whatever or whoever had stolen the crystals, but he could hear a skittering and clanking sound from up ahead.

As he rushed on toward the source of the noise he was caught off guard as the entire transport ship shook. From somewhere inside there had been an explosion. Flame and smoke billowed out from around the corner. 

Upon reaching the flame he extended his ether and cooled the area down, dissipating the fire and crystallizing the smoke itself. Yet when he found the originating spot of the explosive what he discovered was a missing wall that led to outside of the ship. A blown out hole in the wall and no sign of the Core Crystals or the thieves. 

The cores were being kept out of Amalthus’ hands, but them ending up in the grip of an unknown third party was nearly as bad. This mission was a failure. For a moment, a foolish fleeting moment, Jin considered going directly to Indol to kill Amalthus. A naive thought.

With the weapons Amalthus had at his disposal even Jin could not guarantee that he would even lay eyes on the Praetor. When the time was ripe Amalthus would die, but now was not the right moment.

Aftering considering his options Jin headed for the main security room. Perhaps he could use the ship’s own security equipment to help him track down whoever had stolen the Core Crystals literally out from under him.

\------------------

Mealtime had come and gone with no major problems. Tora had been shocked to discover that the meal he was enjoying had been cooked by Mythra, with Vess supervising, but Mythra’s glares had kept him from making more than a minor comment on the change. 

For her part it seemed like Mythra was enjoying this meal _less_ than the previous one she had made. She described it as “safe” and “boring”. Nia had looked supremely confused by the conversation, but Rex hadn’t been able to help grinning from ear to ear. _‘She really prefers to just wing it doesn’t she?’_

Mythra had been practically twitching each time that Vess stopped her from going off recipe. Rex considered letting her have her way with the next meal, but after remembering the flavors of her first batch of cooking he decided to save that for when she had a little more practice. At least she was enthusiastic about it.

After food was finished Rex had taken the dishes back into the ship to wash them. Nia had joined him, using her water ether to make the cleaning process much faster. Rex hadn’t even considered that option. She had always washed dishes by hand in her previous incarnation. It was such a small difference, but Rex wasn’t certain how he felt about it.

“So,” Rex said after a little hesitation. “I don’t really know what this trip will be like or how much downtime we’ll have, but is there any place you’d like to go? Or something you’d like to do?”

Nia paused, a plate floating in front of her in a bubble of water. “You’re asking me?”

“Yeah. Course I am. I mean, I know we’ve got a mission and stuff, but I want to do the things that you want as well. Not just drag you along.” Nia plucked the now clean dish out of the bubble and passed it to him so he could focus on drying it.

“Hmmm, not really sure. Outside of the one fight this has been pretty laid back. I know I know, it isn’t guaranteed to stay that way, but...maybe I just haven’t been Awake long enough to pick something out. Mind if I think about it for a while?” She flashed him that Nia smile, one of her sharp teeth displayed.

“Nah, I don’t mind. Take however much time you need. I asked Vess on the way here and she told me that either before or after she and Mabon pass on she’d like for us to find these bracers and bring them to Mabon’s kids.” Rex didn’t like thinking of how much it felt like her last request.

“That so? What kind of bracers?” Nia got to work on rinsing out the pot Mythra and Vess had used to make the stock earlier.

“Apparently back in their adventuring days she and Mabon found these fancy bracers. Supposed to be worth a decent bit so I think that’s part of why she wants them to end up with Mabon’s kids. Might be awhile before we can do it though. One’s supposed to be in Uraya, but the other is in Mor Ardain and...well I don’t think we’ll be able to go there safely anytime soon.” That was an understatement.

“Huh? Why aren’t they in the same place?” Rex had asked that same question when Vess had told him her request. The answer had been comedic in its simplicity.

“Turns out...she can’t remember why. Can you believe it? I guess it was decades ago, but it’s still...a little funny.” Rex took the pot from her and set to drying it thoroughly. This was going much faster than washing by hand, that was for sure.

“I guess Blades can forget stuff for all kinds of reasons. Not just the bad ones.” She reached for the next thing to clean, but her hands came up empty. They were done already. 

Rex noticed that Nia was looking at him out of the corner of her eyes, a little hesitant. “Say Rex...did you…”

“Yeah?”

She smiled and shook her head. “No, never mind. Maybe later.”

Rex couldn’t help wondering if she had been preparing to ask about her former Driver. Hopefully she would soon.

\---------------

Gramps was on the horizon. The old Titan was moving about as slowly as Rex would have expected. 

Mythra was sparring with Poppi and Nia while Vess gave Tora a play by play. Ostensibly the point of the melee was to give the Nopon examples of dos and don'ts in combat. In truth Mythra had been itching to get a proper match with their comrades. This was a match of pure skill and none of the three were using ether related powers, including Mythra’s Foresight. 

All things considered this was the best time Gramps could have shown up. Rex lowered the spyglass and collapsed it before calling out to the others. “Hey guys, Gramps is gonna get here soon! I’m going to head out there and lead him in. You lot keep at it. That’ll give me a chance to have a good one on one chat with Gramps to catch him up. Be back soon!”

Vess and Nia smiled and waved, telling him to have fun. Tora and Poppi seemed excited about the prospect of meeting Rex’s “Grampypon”. Mythra...was staring at the distant Titan with curiosity in her eyes. Rex wondered what she was thinking about.

As he clambered back into the ship he overheard Nia saying something to Mythra. “No wonder it took his Grandad so long to get here. Looks like he cheaped out and is using an unmodified Titan.”

Rex held back a grin as he started up the motor on the ship. This time it really hadn’t been intentional, not telling any of them that Gramps was a Titan. Well, it was a habit after all this time. It was always more fun to see people’s reactions. 

It didn’t take long to circle around Gramps and come up along his side so they were both heading towards the Titan they had been staying on. Rex set the ship onto a low speed autopilot and stepped up to the railing. “Gramps! Feels like it’s been forever!”

The elderly Titan craned his long neck around to peer down at Rex. “Rex my boy! I’m so glad you’re safe. I didn’t get much news before leaving Torigoth, but it sounded like you were in trouble. Is everything alright?”

So Gramps hadn’t heard about the whole “enemy of the state” thing. That meant he didn’t know about...well any of it really. That was about what Rex had been expecting. “More or less. There’s a lot to catch you up on. Things have been crazy. Can we take it slow on the last leg so I can fill you in. There’s some...important stuff I want to talk to you about.”

Gramps rumbled out a laugh. “Of course. Why ‘take it slow’ is my middle name, you know?”

“Uh-huh. And what’s your last name?” The Titan hesitated, cocking his head to the side.

“Same as yours of course.” They paused. Silence except for the faint sound of the wind and the Cloud Sea buffeted up against the metal hull of the boat.

Then both of them burst out laughing. It was good to have Gramps back. The lecture Rex was certainly about to get wouldn’t be fun, but it felt...right to have Gramps here. Natural. It had been a great while since the two of them had been separated for so long.

Gramps was part of the family after all.

\---------------

As they sailed up to the Titan Rex could tell that Gramps was feeling conflicted. Rex understood that sentiment perfectly. Even so, Gramps had agreed that it was Nia’s place to ask the question, however he encouraged Rex to ask her if she wanted to know. 

The old Titan had seemed a little disturbed upon hearing that Rex was the Driver of the Aegis, more so than he was at learning that Rex was wanted by the Ardanian government. Gramps must have heard some of the bad things people said about Mythra during his long life, but he’d understand once he actually met her that she was a good person.

“Oh, while I’m thinking about it...did you still want to sail along with us? You don’t have to be my house anymore so it’s not like you’re forced to stick around if you don’t want to.” Rex knew what Gramps had said about staying with them back when he and Nia had first come up with the plan to buy a boat, but that had been before...well all of this recent craziness.

“Rex I never felt obligated to give you a place to live. I did so for the same reason I came all this way to meet you. Because I chose to.” Gramps tilted his head up to gaze into the clouds above. His voice grew wistful.

“I acted as the guardian of Fonsett for a very long time before I met you. I’ve never been too involved in Human affairs, and well...call it an old man’s fancy, but I wanted you to have a good life.”

“Awww, Gramps. I appreciate it, I really do. Could have done without all the lectures, but the rest of it was great.” Rex grinned cheekily up at the aging Titan, who angled his head down to peer at Rex with a single disapproving eye.

“Look at you, I pour my heart out and you’re complaining about lectures. Honestly. You are lucky to have me around. I will accompany you on your journey for as long as I can, though I can’t say I can keep pace with that modern monstrosity you have there.” One of Gramps’ wings must have shifted underwater because the boat bobbed to the side.

“Well right now we’re not in a big hurry. If we get ahead we could probably just wait for you after we’ve finished up at our destinations. If it doesn’t bother you. Or if the others don’t mind maybe we could just sail a little slower so you don’t fall behind.” Gramps chuckled and craned his neck down so it was hovering at Rex’s left side.

“My dear boy that won’t be necessary. Your first idea is alright with me. Although I suppose at some point you’ll want to stop for a little while to transfer equipment off of my back.” Rex could always trust Gramps to catch on quick.

“Probably. I was thinking we might do that after we get to Uraya. They’ll have a proper dock and everything. Plus uh, I was thinking about maybe converting the space on your back into a greenhouse. You know, using your ether to better the soil and all that.” Now that he was saying it out loud Rex felt a little sheepish about the idea. Was it ruder to live on Gramps’ back or to just grow stuff on him?

“Why I’d be almost like a proper large Titan at that point. Next thing you know I’ll have Bunnits scurrying around atop my back. I suppose I would scare off Volffs and other predators.” Gramps winked at Rex, causing him to blush. Sheesh, the old Titan didn’t have to tease him like that. 

“Alright, so you’re fine with it. Now come on, let’s dock so I can introduce you to everyone.” They started to pull up along the side of the larger Titan. It was easier for Gramps to come to a stop and float there then it was for Rex to dock the boat. 

The sparring matches looked like they had finished. Poppi looked excited, Nia a little tired, Mythra was watching Gramps, and Vess had a hand atop Tora’s head, stopping him from bouncing around like a ball. Rex brought the boat to its final stop and tossed the line onto shore. Then he hopped over and tied it to the stump they had been using before.

“Everyone, meet Gramps. Gramps, these are my friends.” Rex gestured broadly to the assembled group.

Vess had already known Gramps was a Titan so she just smiled brightly and waved. However, most of the other reactions were what Rex had come to expect. In a good way. Nia craned her neck, looking around for something, and then loudly said, “So is your Gramps like...in the little shack or…”

“Yes! Tora want to meet Grampypon of Rex-Rex. Should come out of hiding. Is Rex-Rex’s Grampypon shy?” Tora had managed to free himself from the grip of a now exasperated looking Vess and he was now bouncing forward toward the Titan. Poppi trundled forward to stand side-by-side with her Driver.

Gramps swung his head around to look at the two. “Well, you must be Tora and Poppi. Rex told me ‘Artificial Blades’ and such on the way in, but I almost didn’t believe it.”

Tora and Nia gawked at Gramps. Poppi just raised one hand and waved at him in an exaggerated fashion. “Nice to be meeting you Grampyon of Rex-Rex! Poppi is Poppi, and this is Poppi’s Masterpon.”

“Hello Poppi. The pleasure is mine, I assure you. Such a nice young lady. And Tora, have you been watching out for my Rex?” Tora bobbed his head slowly.

“No wonder Rex-Rex so amazing...Rex-Rex is part Titan!” Next to him Poppi frowned and shook her head.

“Masterpon, they clearly not blood related. Is like Tora’s Uncle Umon, but more Titany.” 

Nia wandered up so that she was standing next to Rex, but looking up at Gramps. She bumped Rex’s shoulder with her own. “You little so-and-so. You did this just to see our reactions.”

“Haha! Guilty as charged! We don’t get to pull this that often, but it’s fun every time. Gramps, this is Nia. Nia, this is Gramps. Might be worth mentioning, but he’s actually a Titan.” Her ears twitched and she glared at him out of the corner of her eyes. Totally worth it though.

“So you’re Rex’s Gramps eh? Can’t say I was expecting that. Still, he speaks highly of you so you can’t be all bad. Even if you did team up to pull a trick on us.” 

Gramps brought his head a little closer to Nia. As he did so Vess and Mythra were finally coming a little closer. It was nice to see everyone gathered together like this. The old Titan looked carefully at Nia and then said, “A pleasure to meet you. And you young lady, you’re just as cute as my Rex said you were.”

Nia shot a look at Rex and Rex hopped back, holding up his hands defensively. “I didn’t say that! Come on, Gramps is just putting words in my mouth.”

Gramps rumbled out a deep belly laugh, pleased at the reaction he had gotten. Nia rolled her eyes at the both of them. “Well, at least the jokes are at Rex’s expense too.”

Vess came up from behind Nia and ruffled the shorter woman’s hair. “Yes, but you are quite cute though. It’s nice to see you again.”

“Vess, Rex told me about Mabon. My condolences. He seemed like a kind man the one time I met him. You were both wise to come up with a plan of action before the end. If you ever need to talk, just know that this old Titan has an ear with which to listen.” Rex smiled softly. That was Gramps all over. 

Mythra stepped up and looked Gramps up and down, before casually raising a hand in greeting. “‘Sup Azurda.”

“Mythra. It has been a long time. I trust you’re treating my Rex well.” 

Everyone jerked back in surprise. Almost in unison they shouted, “You know each other?”

\----------------------

Mythra hadn’t even considered the possibility that Azurda would still be around. Even if she had, the thought of suddenly running into him was absurd, let alone him being a parental figure to her Driver. This time the familial term was more literal.

Addam had called Azurda ‘Nuncle’, but Azurda had nothing to do with raising Addam or any member of his family. It was just that Azurda, as an intelligent Titan, had been well respected in Torna. Plenty of people knew him. As a member of the Royal Family Addam had traveled a little with the Titan, even as a child.

Even so, this walking, or swimming rather, reminder of her former Driver was frustrating. She didn’t like drawing comparisons between the two of them. They came to her, at times, unbidden, but they felt wrong. Inappropriate. Crude even. Addam was Addam and Rex was Rex. They were similar, but different. 

But sometimes, when she looked into Rex’s eyes, it was Addam’s she saw. In those moments even Mythra herself couldn’t say what it was she was feeling. 

The last time she had seen Addam had been the worst. Closing her eyes, the glass shut in front of her as sleep started to come. He had stood there, looking up at her, his golden eyes shining with some unknown sentiment. Five centuries of time passing hadn’t told her how he felt then. In those moments, like so many others, she had wished that there was someone else to handle those thoughts and feelings in her place. She was no good at it after all.

For the first time since properly waking up, not the pseudo-awareness of her centuries in the memory of Elysium, she wanted that again. But she had promised herself. So many promises. So many lies. 

“Azurda helped me and my Driver out a couple of times back in the day. Gave us rides and stuff.” She gazed up at the Titan, unblinking, and awaited his response.

He nodded that large head of his just slightly. “More or less. Mythra was quite the spitfire in those days. I can’t imagine that’s changed much.”

Tora hopped up in the air, flapping his wings as fast as he could. “Mythra and Rex-Rex’s Grampypon so old!”

Mythra snaked her arm out and grabbed Tora by the top of his head, holding him up in the air as he fluttered his feet. “Wanna rephrase that?”

“Mehmeh...so...experienced?” Mythra rolled her eyes and dropped him, letting him bounce and roll away.

“Good enough I guess. Anyway, we’ve been waiting on you. We’ve got places to go, but I suppose letting you rest before we leave is fine. What do you think Rex? Should we leave tomorrow?”

One more night. Then they could seek out Spessia. Mythra couldn’t bring herself to ask Azurda. He wasn’t the one she wanted answers from. He was too connected. This wasn’t supposed to be easy. It just was.

So many promises. So many lies. Far above her she could feel Siren waiting, watching. It wasn’t alive like she was, but sometimes she could feel the intense power flowing through it, flowing through her, as if it was. And high above even Siren she could feel the dormant sword. The one that wanted to be wielded. 

And deep within her she felt…

\---------------------

As everyone else slept, Mythra walked the grassy plains of the Elysium in her mind. Awake or asleep Mythra could come here as she pleased, although she preferred not to. She had spent so long here after all. 

She could feel eyes on her as she made her way up the hill to the tree that overlooked the town. That bell chimed out as it had for all of this time, unendingly. Mythra stopped, letting the breeze brush gently across her skin.

“If it’s painful, I can talk to Azurda for you. I don’t mind.”

“I didn’t ask you to do anything. I’ll talk to him.”

“What about Rex? When the time comes, I can be the one to…”

Mythra whirled around, her arm sweeping out, blindingly bright with the glow of her light. “Shut up! I said I’ll do it so I’ll do it!”

There was no one there. Because there had never been anyone there. She was alone.

“Mythra I…”

“You’re Mythra! Don’t throw that back in my face!”

“But I...we…”

Mythra slammed her palm against the tree and the other side blew outwards, spraying chunks of wood in fat splinters. Immediately the tree was whole again. “I’m going.”

She opened her eyes to a starry sky, the others asleep around her. There was a slight chill in the air, but she closed her mind to it. Quietly she rose to her feet and slinked away from the group, approaching the slumbering form of the Titan Azurda. She rapped her knuckles against his trunk-like neck. “Hey, Azurda, wake up.”

His big eyes fluttered open and he lowered his head down to her level. He opened his mouth to reply, but Mythra put a finger over her lips, motioning for him to be quiet. Even when he tried to whisper he was way too loud. “Follow me. We can talk once we get farther away.”

Azurda followed her along the edge of the larger Titan, keeping pace with her easily. Several of her steps were barely any amount of motion for him. Once she judged their distance to be large enough she began to talk. “You never told Rex about the Aegis War.”

“Well it was never a pleasant topic of conversation. Either way, it is hardly as if I expected that boy to become your Driver. I was uncertain that you would Awaken again during my lifetime. Who could have foreseen my Rex becoming the Driver of the Aegis?” There was a certain amount of pride in his voice. Mythra felt a little glad to hear that. Maybe he was just pleased his adopted grandchild was a Driver, but there was a chance it was because Rex had become _her_ Driver.

“Yeah...who could have foreseen it.” The brunette boy with the kind eyes and welcoming smile, with his hands outstretched, beckoning and accepting. The young man in blue with a blazing sword in hand and laughter in his heart. Yeah, who could have foreseen that?

“I’m going to do it right this time Azurda.” Mythra hoped she conveyed the conviction in her heart. Mythra hoped the conviction in her heart could match her words.

“Eliminating Malos?”

Mythra’s mouth twitched as she bit back a laugh. What would Azurda think if she told him that she didn’t give a damn about Malos? No, what would Rex think? “All of it.”

Azurda seemed to sense that he was missing something. He hesitated for a few seconds, letting time and distance stretch between them. “Are you...planning on using that power again?”

She could see it again, Addam crumpled to the ground in pain, her sword in his hand. The flames in the distance. “I said I was going to do it right, Azurda. All of it.”

“Mythra...if you need to talk to me about something, I’m more than willing to listen. It must be more than chance that allowed us to meet again.” Mythra looked away from him and up at the stars. There were so many of them. She felt like she could reach up and pluck them from the sky. Or point directly to Siren, hidden among them.

“There are already plenty of people who listen to me complain.”

“That’s...not exactly what I meant. Mythra, I know we never had the opportunity to grow close, but...perhaps I can be a friend in these times. As someone else from those days.” 

“You helped plenty. You brought Addam and I to where we needed to be.” And he had brought Rex to where he needed to be. “So don’t be a pest. Just sit back and watch. I’ll show you that I can do it right.”

Mythra turned and strode back towards the camp, her long blonde hair flowing out behind her. She could practically feel Azurda watching her from behind. He didn’t understand. Not yet. That was fine. Maybe she would explain it to him if she got the answers she was looking for.

If she didn’t…

Both of them missed the telltale signs of Nia’s ears angled in their direction.

\-----------------------

On the morrow they broke camp and packed up their food and belongings into the boat. Rex set about gathering a few things up from his home on Gramps’ back. Some books and supplies that would be nice to have, like a change of clothes for instance. For the moment he left the plants where they were. 

As he was rifling through his belongings, trying to decide exactly what to take, he heard a rattling sound. He jerked up, nearly banging his head on one of the shelves above his bed. He spun around to find Nia entering. The sound had been caused by one of her hands grabbing onto the metal slide. 

“Pretty cramped in here. No wonder you decided to upgrade.” Rex opened and closed his mouth, unsure what to say. Nia was standing right next to the bed she used to sleep in. Her personal belongings were here. He was an idiot. How had he not thought about this?

Nia poked the bed and then peaked under it at the storage containers set below the frame. Then up at the shelf with her former life’s books and carvings. “Sleeping space for two. You have a lot of guests?”

“Uh...well not really.” He had no idea what to say. What was he supposed to do? Would she ask? What would she ask? Did he want her to ask?

His Blade sat down on the edge of the bed, her back to him. “You weren’t going through any of the stuff on this side, so it isn’t yours. So, Rex, who lived here? Who slept in this bed?”

The words came out without thought. He wasn’t thinking well enough to stop them. “Someone very important. My...partner.”

Idly Nia reached out and traced her fingers along the spines of the books resting on that bookshelf. “I see. Look at you Rex, the little playboy. Wanna know how I know your partner was a woman?”

“Uh…”, he said intelligently.

Nia turned and crawled up onto the bed, then settled in sitting cross-legged. “There’s a yellow sundress hanging up behind you.”

Rex looked over his shoulder, and sure enough Nia’s old sundress hung on a peg to the side of his room, a spot where it had been left to dry before they set off on the job that ended her life. “Oh...I…”

“She’s gone...isn’t she? That girl, your partner, she’s…”, there was a certain sadness in Nia’s voice and Rex finally began to understand. What Nia thought.

He gulped and turned back to face her. “I don’t mind telling you. Whatever you want to know, just ask. I don’t want to hide anything from you. I would never…”, he choked a little, but pressed on. “I won’t tell if you don’t want to know.” Now why had he said that?

Nia hopped off the bed and walked up to him until they were close enough to touch. “If I ask you...will the answers involve my last Driver?”

Rex nodded slowly.

“Then I don’t want to know. I want to be me. Whoever she was, my old self, my old Driver, whatever...I don’t want that to color the relationships I can build as me. But Rex, if it ever hurts, not getting it off your chest, then that’s okay too. I’ll heal any of your wounds, outside or inside. Okay?” He nodded again. She reached out and brushed a finger against his cheek, wiping away a tear he hadn’t realized was there.

He felt his face get hot and Nia leaned in super close, grinning brightly at him. “Look at you, you’ve gone all red!”

With a laugh she spun away, her wide sleeves brushing against him as she moved. “Don’t go getting a crush on me all of a sudden. I’ll tell Mythra, I swear!”

Still laughing she stuck her tongue out at him and skipped away, then flipped off of Gramps’ back and onto the shore.

Feeling drained and confused, Rex slumped backwards onto his bed. “I really don’t get women at all…”

Despite that, he found himself smiling. It had been nice, seeing Nia happy like that. Hearing her laugh. Knowing how she felt. He had been such an idiot. Focusing so hard on the idea of the past Nia that all he could see was a woman who was gone. There was a Nia in front of him, waiting to welcome the world and see what it had to offer.

It would be wrong to treat her as anything other than a new person. Mythra had been right. He needed to shape up. Nia, any version of her, every version of her...they were all someone who deserved to be alive. But people don’t appreciate life because of big gestures or past events. The day to day moments were what made life worth living.

_‘Mythra, Nia, we’re going to Elysium together. I swear it.’_

Rex got himself out of bed, patted his cheeks and shook his body to loosen it up. Now wasn’t the time to be sitting on his butt thinking too hard. It was time to set out on the next leg of their journey!

He gathered the items he was taking together and hauled them over to the new boat where everyone was waiting. “Is everyone ready?”

There was a round of yeses, an affirmative from Poppi, and even a duh from Mythra. “Alright! Let’s do it! Destination one, here we go!”

Their time on the aging Titan had come to an end, but they were only just getting started. An adventure aiming to find a Titan that may or may not exist any longer, a stop in Uraya, and then onwards from there! 

That endless sea of white didn’t seem so plain. Rex found his eyes, as they so often were, pulled up towards the towering World Tree. _‘Just you wait. I’ll make it up there and show everyone Elysium!’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gramps returns!


	25. Tristitia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So on the unfortunate end, I'm currently quarantined. On the positive end, it means you guys get a chapter a little earlier than otherwise.

The Titan Tristitia was about a third the size of Gormott at most. Its back lumped up out of the Cloud Sea, forming rolling hills with a stretch of woodlands. A long neck reached up toward the sky, its narrow skull framed by downturned multi-pronged horns that were coated in moss. 

They arrived a little after noon, gliding into a set of wooden docks designed to handle ships at most only slightly larger than their own. Gramps was only a few hours travel time behind them. When they set about tying up the boat there were only two other vessels docked, although they could see a smaller pier with fishing boats tied up a little ways off. 

A tall lithe Indoline man greeted them and took their docking fees, which were reasonable. He even pointed out to them the areas they might want to travel to. There was a small market area that traded in goods set-up near the docks and a fishmonger as well. Beyond that they would have to travel about a Titanped to reach the largest village. 

Tristitia, he told them, wasn’t home to any truly large towns, but they were a number of communities and farming villages. They thanked him and made their way to the nearby town.

Upon their arrival they were surprised to discover the town was packed to the brim with an uncommon mix of people. The townsfolk seemed to be a fairly even mix of Indoline and Gormotti, with a smattering of Nopon here and there. It was rare to see more than a few Indoline outside of Indol itself, let alone an entire mixed community. 

Each of them was fully prepared to make a break for it at the first sign of trouble, but the local notice board showed no signs of bounty posters of any kind. Tristitia, it seemed, was unaffiliated with Mor Ardain, and was neutral territory. An outlying province beholden to Indol from what the locals told them. 

Vess whispered quietly to the rest of them, explaining that Indol did not participate in extradition treaties with other nations, save for crimes involving Drivers and Blades. However, those had to be approved by the Praetorium before they could be posted in any territory controlled by Indol. That meant that Indol, in some ways, was safer for them than even Uraya would be.

A matronly Indoline woman, her hair starkly white, approached them after a little while. “Well hello travelers! I must say I was surprised when someone told me Drivers and Blades had arrived. It has been a long time since anyone like you came to Tristitia.”

Polite greetings were exchanged and Rex, ever the outgoing boy, stepped forward. “Are you the Mayor?”

She put a hand to her cheek and smiled warmly at him. “No no, nothing like that. We haven’t got a Mayor. However, I am one of a few people who help act as guides for the rare travelers we receive. Most folk who visit Tristita are here to trade supplies. We aren’t exactly a tourist destination.”

Nia looked around, her ears flicking rapidly as she listened in to various conversations going on around them. “Kinda surprising. It’s a pretty Titan you’ve got here.”

“Why thank you, but honestly we’re just not a place most folk pay attention to. Tristitia’s path keeps it relatively close to Uraya most of the year so anyone looking for a beautiful tourist location...well they just go there instead. That’s fine, we don’t rely on tourists anyway. Our home is partly self-sufficient, but also supported by the Praetorium.” She gestured broadly to the people going about their daily business.

“Tristitia is one of several Titans that Indol helps fund that acts as a home for refugees or those displaced by war. Although our Titan hasn’t received any new refugees in a while. I’m afraid we can’t support our population growing much beyond where it already is.” 

Looking around it started to make more sense why the population was mixed the way it was. A blend of Indoline who had established Tristitia and Gormotti who had fled from war or been displaced by it. While there were refugees among all peoples, over the last century or so Gormott had experienced the worst impacts of conflict. It had been at the center of a power struggle between Uraya and Mor Ardain for years before finally being overtaken as an Ardanian Province five decades before.

Mythra stepped out in front of the Indoline woman, her face more intense than usual. “Was this Titan ever called anything else before Indol stepped in?”

Their guide took a slight step back in surprise. “Uhm, I’m not certain. I know the Praetorium took charge a few centuries ago, but if it ever had a different name I haven’t heard it. I could...ask around if you’d like?”

“Please do.”

“Were you perhaps thinking that this was a different Titan or have I misunderstood?” She still seemed a little nervous, but a bright smile from Rex seemed to set her a little at ease.

“Sorry about that, we’ve just been a little stressed. We’re trying to find a Titan called Spessia, but we don’t even know if it still exists. Do you think it would be alright if we asked around or should we just wait to hear back from you?” He gently tapped Mythra on the wrist and she rolled her eyes, but stepped out of the way.

“For the moment it would probably be best if you let me ask for you. Not all of the locals are...fans of Drivers and Blades you see. It’s...complicated.” She fidgeted, looking distinctly uncomfortable with the turn the conversation was taking. “Uhm...would you like me to show you around town? We don’t have a proper inn, but there’s a community hall that has a few rooms you could rent if you’d like.”

Their guide showed them around town, pointing out the market area, a few places they could get food, some shops they might be interested in, and then finally led them to the community hall she had been talking about. Since the conditions looked nice they opted to stay locally rather than have to trek in and out from the docks. 

Once they were all settled in, with their guide, Navine, saying she would check back in with them in the evening, Rex decided to head back to the docks to wait for Gramps. He said he would join them once Gramps was informed of their plans.

As it stood they would at least be staying until the next morning. Navine had genuinely been uncertain how long it would take to get an answer as she would also be reaching out to a few of the smaller communities and farming villages. At most they would be there a few days. 

Rex left a decent portion of money with them in case they needed to buy anything for their trip. He also planned on finding out if the Titan could supply some of their fueling needs, but seemed unperturbed either way. After all, their original plan was to head to Uraya after this and their capital, Fonsa Myma, would have anything they could possibly need.

Nia yawned and stretched her arms over her head, trying to loosen up. Being surrounded by a crowd had been making her a little sleepy. There was just so much noise. She could filter most of it, but her ears just picked up so much that it was a bit uncomfortable. “Let’s see if there’s anything fun to do around here.”

Tora bounded forward like the little beachball that he was, looking over excited. “Tora want to find local tasty treats!”

Poppi hooked her arms around a very startled Mythra’s left arm. “Poppi wants to go shopping and do the girl talk!”

Mythra glanced down and then immediately away from Poppi’s pleading face. “I mean...I guess I could do a little shopping. Doesn’t sound so bad.”

Vess clapped her hands together, her face delighted and all smiles. “Oh yes, that sounds wonderful. A little time just for us girls. It’s so rare for me to have the opportunity to spend time with other women.”

The rotund Nopon looked poleaxed by their response. “But...but Tora wants to eat tasties. Nobody want to eat tasties with Tora?”

Nia squatted down a little so she was face to face with him. “Tell you what, if you behave and pick out some tasty food for everyone I’ll tell Rex how conscientious and cool you are. How’s that sound?”

He folded his wings around his body and glowered at her. “Tora knows when he is being manipulated...but Tora will do it anyway. Friend Nia promises to tell Rex-Rex about Tora’s cool factor, yes?”

“Course I will! Now go on, we’ll meet up later.” Tora, seemingly satisfied, trundled off away from the rest of them. When Nia looked back at the others she was met by amused grins from Vess and Mythra and a look of awe from Poppi.

The little Artificial Blade lifted up her left leg and leaned in closer to Mythra, beaming with excitement. “Poppi impressed! Poppi adding new maneuver to Poppi’s database for future use with Masterpon.”

Vess’ face fell and she knelt down to look Poppi in the eye. “Now Poppi, you might not want to copy that. What Nia did was a little…”

“A little what?”, asked Nia in annoyance.

Mythra patted Poppi on the head with her free hand. “Don’t worry about them Poppi. Add whatever you want to your database. Heck, if you ever want to know anything cool you can add, just ask me.”

Poppi seemed overjoyed at this new information and hugged tighter to Mythra’s arm. “Mythra rank go up! Promoted from coolest to mega coolest!”

“Mega huh?”

The Aegis turned and strolled away, forcing Nia and Vess to trot after her and Poppi in order to keep up. Poppi tugged at Mythra’s arm to get her attention. “Poppi wants to ask Mythra something already.”

“Sure, go for it.”

“Poppi ask Masterpon to add files pertaining to sub-category of cute called ‘sex appeal’, but Masterpon say Poppi not need. He say ‘Poppi not Mythra, so not need that’. So Mythra can teach Poppi about sex appeal?” All said with the purest of innocence that only Poppi seemed capable of. Mythra nearly tripped, but recovered quickly.

“Yeah...I’m gonna have to pass.” 

Nia and Vess collectively winced. Unless she forgot about it, when Tora met back up with them he’d be coming face to face with a very irritated Mythra. 

\-------------------------

Tora’s tumtum was feeling super full, but Tora was not ready to surrender! So many more local treats to sample! “What this one filled with?,” he asked the confectionery stall owner.

“Honey and cream. I’ve only got the one left though.” The confectioner smiled that tradesmen smile, the kind that Nopon could recognize from a Titanped away. A ‘got him’ kind of smile, but Tora not care. Tora just wants the sweet. He reached for it and…

Tora’s hand bumped against another Nopon’s, also going for same sweet. Tora glared at the smaller Nopon, whose fur was a mix of orange and blonde. “Tora pick out sweet first!”

“No no, this treat fit only for great Heropon!” The smaller Nopon flashed his tiny fangs and fluffed his tall blonde hair with one wing. Tora think it look silly with tips colored red. 

“Heropon just old story, Nopon not do that anymore! Old fashioned can’t beat new fashion! Tora is master engineer so Tora deserves!”

Above them the stall’s Gormotti owner began to grow increasingly uncomfortable. “Ummm...could...could you not make a scene?”

As Tora argued with the smaller Nopon another hand swept down from above and plucked out the cream filled sweet. “Here you go,” said a woman’s voice as she handed it to Tora.

Tora looked up to see a pale Human with blue-green eyes smiling kindly at him. Oddly she was wearing a huge cloak that covered her entire body save her face. “Please, take it. I apologize for my companion’s rudeness.”

She tugged at the Nopon’s purple and blue jacket, pulling him away. “Let us go now. We shouldn’t cause any trouble.”

The Nopon let out an audible sigh, shaking his head as he let himself be led away. “Melly too nice…”

With victory swelling in his heart, Tora paid for the treat and jammed it into his mouth.

\------------------

Nia popped up from around the corner, startling the others. “Alright girls, I just learned about the best spot on this stuffy Titan.”

Vess put a hand to her chest, breathing in deeply to calm herself. “Nia, please don’t scare me like that.”

Mythra, being Mythra, planted her hands on her hips and glowered at the fox-eared Blade. “Be more careful next time. I was this close,” she put her fingers a centimeter apart from each other, “to nuking you.”

“Poppi just want to know about cool spot!” 

Nia quirked an eyebrow up, but their responses didn’t diminish her cat-like grin. “Apparently there’s a big lake towards the center of the Titan’s body, inside that wooded area. One of the locals told me about it. The Titan processes ether and forms a pool of crystal clear water. It’s basically a little beach!”

Mythra seemed a little skeptical. “What are you so excited about? You want to go swimming or something? We spent all that time on the edge of that Titan and you never once took a dip in the Cloud Sea.”

The shorter woman motioned like she was picking something up and moving it away. “Putting that aside, we can have a beach day! A beach day! Relaxing, swimming, and maybe a picnic!”

“Hang on, don’t go putting it aside, what are you putting aside? What’s the difference between this and the Cloud Sea?”

Poppi tugged on Mythra’s skirt. “Cloud Sea is not water.”

Vess let out a tinkling laugh. “Well, Poppi isn’t wrong. A lot of people avoid swimming in the Cloud Sea. It doesn’t feel quite the same. I’ve swum in water and the Cloud Sea before, totally different. I imagine only someone like a salvager would be uncaring about the difference.”

Nia swung her arms around them, pulling them together into one big huddle. “Come on, let’s not sweat that stuff. What we should be doing is going and buying some swimsuits for us and Rex.”

“What about Masterpon?” Poppi asked.

“Sure sure, Tora too. We’ll let you pick that one out. Come on, it’ll be fun. Who knows how long before the next time someone tries to kill us. Let’s do something we can really enjoy!” Nia looked back and forth between the others, trying to gauge their thoughts.

Mythra was looking at her oddly. “Hang on, why do you need to buy a swimsuit Nia? If you get rid of the sleeves, boots, and stuff like that rope belt you’re pretty much wearing a one piece swimsuit anyway.”

Vess turned her purple eyed gaze toward the Aegis. “But Mythra, don’t you want to pick out something cute to wear to show off?”

“Psh, anything I wear is basically showing off. I can’t help it. Anyway, I can just create a swimsuit from memory out of ether. I mean, I don’t mind the shopping, but…”

Nia tugged them all in closer, grinning even more broadly than before. “Then it’s settled! Let’s go pick stuff out! Afterwards we’ll meet up with Rex and Tora to give them the new plan.”

She spun and began practically dragging the three of them behind her. Mythra began to loudly protest. “Hang on, who said it was settled? I don’t remember agreeing to this! Nia, hey, come on Nia…”

\--------------------

Malos had his feet kicked up on the console, Dromarch seated at his right side. Patroka leaned up against the door to the communication room, watching Akhos fiddle with the display. Thankfully Obrona wasn’t there since she was still on duty monitoring the activity of the Aegis as best as she could. 

The Aegis and her group had moved to a slightly larger Titan, but Akhos and Malos had shot down Patroka’s suggestion that they use this new opportunity to attack. Akhos was dead set on their “script”, insisting that this Titan didn’t provide the ideal scenario for a battle against the Aegis. Patroka knew that he might be right, but she still felt like it was worth the gamble.

She had taken the opportunity the previous night to contact Waldemar to have him encourage his team to attack again, but it turned out that they hadn’t reported back to him. Patroka knew that the Blades who had attacked the Aegis were still alive upon leaving, but wasn’t certain of their location. Obrona wasn’t likely to help her track them since Malos didn’t want the Core Crystal hunters involved.

Waldemar seemed to think she had set him up, leading his people into a trap. As such he had refused to commit other members of his team until he determined the whereabouts of the first eight, one of whom was his personal Blade. 

That plan seemed to have fallen apart. The whole thing felt ridiculous. She just wanted another shot at the Aegis, but nobody was willing to listen to her or let her have her way! The fact that everyone let Akhos spin his bullshit scripts while she was ignored...the whole thing just pissed her off.

Akhos stepped away from the monitor. “That should do it.”

The image flickered to life, showing a disheveled Mikhail. There was a burn mark on his left cheek and his hair was messier than normal. In fact, it looked like there were the faintest traces of a black eye, now mostly healed. His regeneration was slower than a normal Blade’s, so it was no surprise.

Malos whistled low. “Mik, you look like you got shaken around by Dromarch. What the hell happened?”

“The Marsanes was pinged by a ship’s depth finder and was spotted by their itinerant salvaging team. Cressidus and I went aboard to wipe them out, but we were met with resistance.” To Patroka he sounded frustrated, maybe even downright mad. It was a little odd to hear Mikhail sound anything other than jocular. The only times she had ever heard him get truly mad were when the subject turned toward the Praetorium. 

Akhos scoffed. “You got into that much trouble subduing some random ship? How many Blades were onboard?”

“One. But that wasn’t the problem.” Mikhail looked and sounded dead serious.

“Get on with it Mik. What happened?” Malos seemed bored and annoyed in equal measure. Patroka noticed Dromarch watching his Driver with concern clear in his eyes. Dumb cat had no idea what he was getting into. His luck had run out the moment Malos resonated with him.

“Cressidus and I were doing well. I blocked communications before surfacing so they couldn’t send out a distress call and then we wrought utter havoc, cutting them down whether they fought or ran. Then this scarred woman...starting to emit white fire and ether. She summoned a Blade weapon out of the ether as well. But she wasn’t a Blade.” At that Malos seemed to gain interest, lowering his feet to the floor and paying closer attention.

“What do you mean?”

“One minute she seemed to be a normal Human and the next she was using ether like a Blade. There were no signs of a Core Crystal from what I could see and the scars on her body disappeared. It reminded me of...well me, honestly. But the level of power she had was unreal. I lost Cressidus and barely made it out with my life. I blew the ship apart from below with the Marsanes and when I investigated I found no signs of her, but I honestly doubt she’s gone.” Patroka couldn’t tell if he was upset about having lost the fight or losing Cressidus. The two had never seemed that close, but Patroka tried to pay as little attention to Mikhail as possible. It gave him hope. No matter what he wanted, she wasn’t interested in an interspecies relationship. Between an idiot and a Blade.

Malos rested his elbows on his knees and steepled his fingers together, looking at Mikhail over them. “Send me a full detailed report. And keep an eye out. We don’t need to deal with any other oddities right now. We’ve got our hands full with the Aegis. Anything else to report?”

“Oh, Jin contacted me. Someone stole the Core Crystal shipment out from under him. He’s tracking the thieves now. Knowing Jin it won’t be a problem, but I really do need those for the Marsanes project.”

They continued to drone on, but Patroka lost interest. The idea of this odd woman with powers like Mikhail’s had her intrigued. A Blade, or perhaps a Blade Eater, wielding white fire? Strong enough to cut down Cressidus and send Mikhail packing? To her that sounded like a great challenge.

With what Malos needed the Aegis for she wouldn’t get the opportunity to kill that blonde bimbo, but maybe she could gut this new woman. If she could do that and kill the Aegis’ Driver she’d be satisfied. Well, there was one other thing.

Obrona had reported a new Blade had Awakened in the Aegis’ group a few days prior. There was only one core that could possibly be. The sassy fox-eared bitch from before. As soon as she had heard that the Aegis’ Driver had resonated with that core again Patroka knew. Kill the Aegis’ Driver, kill the woman who defeated Mikhail, and make the Aegis’ Driver’s own Blade into a replacement for Perdido.

It’d be perfect.

\---------------------

“Well it was very kind of you to wait for me Rex, although I see the others didn’t follow suit.” Gramps peered around as if half expecting one of them to pop up out of nowhere. 

“Don’t hold it against them Gramps, I told ‘em I’d come myself. I wanted to give everybody a chance to relax and see the place. On that Titan before it always felt like there was a lingering tension, but here, with you having caught up...it feels like we’re safe for a while. Feels nice, honestly.” Rex reached up and scratched the back of his head, a little embarrassed at having said all of that.

“I see. Then I insist you enjoy yourself to the fullest. I think I’ll linger in this area for a little while, maybe take a swim around this Titan’s borders. Do an old Titan a favor and even if you don’t end up leaving tomorrow, come down and have a meal with me.”

Rex flashed Gramps a grin and offered him a faux salute. “Gotcha! I’ll see ya tomorrow Gramps!”

When Rex returned to the rooms that had been set aside for them he found Tora waiting for him. “Hey Tora, what’s up?”

“Tora was told to wait for Rex-Rex, but Tora agree because that mean Tora get to deliver best of news to Rex-Rex!” Tora hopped up onto his bed and started dancing in a circle, awkwardly flapping his wings.

“Best of news? Did something good happen?” With Tora that could be anything. Some rare part for Poppi, something really tasty he had found to eat, or…

_‘Titan’s foot...I hope he doesn’t want to show me any maid outfits he found in the market.’_

In the middle of his dance Tora tripped and fell forward, his face mushing down into the pillow. His voice muffled, the Nopon said, “Tora suddenly feel disrespected, but Tora does not know why.”

Tora flopped over onto his back and then propped himself up so he was facing Rex again. “Titan has big splashy water pool and sandy sandy! Is beach, Rex-Rex! Friend Nia drop off swimsuits for us and say to come to center of woody place after Rex-Rex return. Swimsuits Rex-Rex!”

“Uh, yeah you said that part already. Dunno how they figured our sizes but, I don’t mind a good swim. I guess I’ll get changed.”

The Nopon wagged a finger at Rex in an exaggerated motion. “Tut-tut, Rex-Rex not understand. Not just Rex-Rex and Tora, but Friends Nia, Vess, and Mythra too. Swimsuits are a man’s romance!”

“Tora...I’ve got no idea what you mean by that and...pretty sure I don’t want to know.”

Still, going swimming with friends would be like going back to the days he spent growing up in Fonsett. It was a little odd that none of the girls had expressed an interest in swimming while they were on that last Titan. They had been surrounded by easy access to the Cloud Sea after all.

“Say Tora, before we go over there I want to pick up a few things in town. Okay?”

\--------------------

Mythra was surprised by how relaxing this place was. She had been expecting it to be swarmed with rowdy kids and adults splashing around and making a ruckus, but while there were people swimming, they were scattered around the circular lake. Guess that made sense, most of the residents had work to do and they were used to this lake. For their group it was a novelty, but for the Humans and Nopon living on Tristitia it was just everyday life.

She hadn’t gotten in to go swimming yet, but she had been enjoying being sprawled out on a blanket on the sand, just watching the water. It really was perfectly clear in the way only ether generated water could be. You could see straight down several meters to the bottom. 

Bathing in a hot spring would have been nicer, but a beach wasn’t bad. Since they were at a beach she had, as she had promised Nia, swapped into a bathing suit. She had reformed her dress into an, in her opinion, elegant white one piece suit with emerald accents of a similar design to her core across her bosom. A theme was a theme, and when fashion was concerned, you had to stick to it. Mythra had elected to dissipate her tiara, even though it did help keep her hair out of her eyes.

Vess, meanwhile, had elected to buy a modest teal swimsuit that came with a gauzy skirt that extended to her ankles. The normal clothes, swimsuit or not, looked decidedly odd on the tall Blade what with her halos still floating around. She had also tied her long hair into a complicated braid. Mythra had been briefly tempted to copy the look or have Vess do her hair, but had decided against it. Messing around with her hair right now might be a bad idea.

Nia had picked out a dark purple bikini and had gone the opposite route with her hair, letting it free of its twintails so that it cascaded down her back. Mythra’s hair was long, but both of those two had crazy long hair. How did they manage it without the ability to manipulate their ether mass like she could? Honestly sometimes it was hard to understand how normal Blades got by in their day to day lives, unable to do some of the things she could do with barely a thought. Must be even worse for Humans.

What Mythra most appreciated about their little beach excursion was Poppi. The little Artificial Blade had been even more excited than Nia once they arrived. Outfitted with a totally unnecessary swimming cap and an inflatable inner tube she had taken to paddling about like a gleeful child in the water. Vess swam nearby, trying to encourage Poppi to practice normal swimming, but Poppi seemed too absorbed to pay attention.

Nia had mostly been swimming and chatting with the other two, but even she had taken to showing off for Poppi to make her laugh. Creating water bubbles, making intricate shapes in the air by controlling the water flow, and even doing handstands on the water itself. Mythra was a little surprised to see that. She was pretty confident most water Blades couldn’t control surface tension anywhere near that well by themselves. Even those Core Crystal hunters had needed two water element Blades to perform a similar trick.

That was something else that felt difficult for her to grasp. All of the Blades she had been surrounded by had been exceptionally powerful, able to wield large amounts of ether or having unique special skills. Even Haze, mild mannered as she was, had been able to wield far more ether than the average Blade. That was setting aside her unique power. Minoth, Aegaeon, and especially Brighid and Jin had all wielded tremendous power.

Not the sort of limitless pool of energy she could draw upon, but quite a lot nevertheless. To see normal Blades going about their lives and fighting in battle was a new experience for her. Poppi was above average, although something about her ether flow felt off. Stunted almost. Probably just that she was an Artificial Blade. Vess and Nia on the other hand, while able to handle more ether than most Common Blades, were probably on the lower end of the curve in terms of raw power. 

Yet they handled themselves superbly in battle and in daily life. It was more proof that Mythra herself was the one who wasn't making the most of her own power. Not that she hadn’t been made keenly aware of that five centuries before. 

Her thoughts were cut short by a familiar voice calling out her name. “Mythra! Hey!”

When she looked back over her shoulder she saw Rex approaching from the treeline, Tora plodding along at his side. Rex had changed into the swim trunks they had picked out for him, a simple design of black with a diagonal blue stripe running from his left hip down to the bottom of his right leg. It suited him. He also had a large bag slung over his shoulder.

Tora was wearing the brown trunks Vess and Poppi had picked out or whatever. 

Rex stopped right next to her, but Tora continued on, finally jumped into the air to cannonball down into the water. Ugh, of course he did. “Sup Rex.”

“Hey. Say, how come you’re not swimming like everyone else?” He looked down at her and then immediately back over at the others swimming. 

“Oh I plan on it, but I wanted to lounge for a little while first. I can’t exactly get a tan, but the Sun does feel nice on my skin.” Plus warming her body up a little before cooling down in the water was even more pleasant than just jumping in straight away. Like that idiot Tora who was now engaging in a splash contest with Poppi. Mythra bit back a laugh as she watched an affronted Nia, who had been splashed lightly on accident, command a wave of water taller than she was to plow over Tora. 

“Makes sense to me. Want me to hang out with you here until you’re ready to get in?”

“Nah, I’m good. Go have fun and I’ll join you guys in a minute. Try not to let Nia drown you or anything.” The Blade in question was now floating Tora up out of the water in a large bubble and...this time Mythra really did laugh as Nia tossed the bubble several meters away. It popped and Tora tumbled headfirst into the water. Yeah, no way was she getting into a water fight with that girl.

“Alright, but join us soon, okay?” He settled his bag nearby, waved, and ran off to join the others. He dove into the water smoothly, with the sort of precise form that you’d expect to see from a salvager. As she watched he swam over and greeted the others. She could see them laughing and talking together. Tora was slowly paddling his way back to them. 

To Mythra’s surprise, Nia lifted Rex up into the air with another water bubble. From the expression on Rex’s face it seemed like it had been a request. Nia floated him a distance away from them to where the water got much deeper and then lifted him about eight meters above the surface. Then the water bubble popped. Rex gracefully flipped twice in mid-air and plunged into the water hands first, barely making a splash. 

Mythra rolled her eyes, but couldn’t help smiling. “Show off.”

The warmth of the Sun was starting to make her drowsy, but she fought to keep herself awake. If she were to fall asleep in the middle of the day in a situation like this there would be no telling what would happen.

To her surprise Nia got out of the water and made her way over to Mythra’s spot. “Hey Nia, what brings you my way? Get sick of swimming already? Wasn’t this your idea?”

“Sure was, but I’m here to drag you back with me. Come on, this is the perfect excuse for you to show off that bod of yours to Rex!”

Mythra grumbled and looked away from Nia. That smile of hers was somewhere between encouraging and mocking. “Are you still going on with that stuff?”

“Course I am! I call it like I see it. I still say you should have gone with a bikini, but did you see his face? I saw him from over there and I could tell. He was totally trying not to stare. No surprise there.” Nia reached down and grabbed onto Mythra’s hand, trying to tug her to her feet.

“Hey, hang on a sec…”

“Come on lazy bones! Up and at ‘em! Take the opportunity to enjoy this. Did you see the abs on that kid? Did you already know? Is that why you were cozying up to him where no one else could see?”

Mythra could feel her face burning. And her desire to bury Nia in a pile of sand growing. “Shut up already, seriously...nothing happened.”

“Yeah yeah, now...let’s...go!” And with one final tug she got Mythra up onto her feet. “See! That was the first step. So let’s swim. Well I’ll swim, you flirt with Rex. I’ll keep Tora out of the way and everything.”

“Yeah, I’m not doing that.” Nia was really starting to test her patience.

“Hang on...do you not know how? I mean, I guess I could give you a few pointers, but I would have figured the Aegis would know. I s’pose it makes sense. Looking like that you’re probably more used to people gunning for you, but Rex is super oblivious.”

“Well he _is_ a kid.” Images from hundreds of years before, of the boy with the smiling face and golden eyes, flashed through her head.

“Sure sure, and you’re _super_ adult. Not counting the time you were sealed, how long has it been since you were Awakened?” Mythra frowned. What kind of question was that?

“A year. Maybe a little more.” Somehow, despite Mythra’s protests, Nia had almost dragged her to the water’s edge.

“See? Rex has way more life experience than you. We’re both kids by comparison.” Mythra rolled her eyes at that. Nia knew perfectly well that reasoning like that didn’t quite fit when it came to Blades. Age was sort of nonsense when it came to them.

Without warning Nia released her and then made a sweeping motion with her hands. An arm thick tendril of water shot up out of the lake and wrapped around Mythra’s waist, lifting her up. Mythra glared at the other Blade. “Hang on...you better not…”

With a wicked grin Nia snapped her fingers and the water retracted, pulling Mythra straight into the lake, dunking her. She emerged spluttering and fuming, Nia still on the shore laughing her ass off. 

Mythra flipped her hair back out of her eyes and prepared to storm up onto the beach after Nia, but hesitated when she noticed Rex had swum up next to her. “Hey, you joined us! I’m glad! Vess and I were just talking about how long it would take to swim from one end of the lake to the other and I was thinking…”

Rex flashed that big grin of his at her and held out a hand. “Waddya say? Wanna race me?”

Flirting...was probably not something she was up for. But a race? Having fun like a normal person? That was a challenge she was willing to undertake. “You’re on Rex.”

Sure maybe it wasn’t the best idea to get into a swimming contest with a professional salvager, but she was the Aegis damn it. She couldn’t go backing down in moments like these. An idea formed from the depths of her mind. “Say Rex...wanna make a bet?”

\----------------

By the end of it Mythra had lost six races against Rex, all without taking a single win. She had been feeling super frustrated until she watched Rex, with his seemingly inexhaustible stamina, beat Nia three times in a row. Nia won the fourth time, but only after she used her water manipulation to seize the advantage.

Not that a water Blade was necessarily an expert swimmer, but just seeing someone else lose was gratifying. After that fourth race Nia began to swim over to Mythra, while Tora, Poppi, and Vess all chatted with Rex. Although she couldn’t hear them, Mythra was fairly certain Poppi was asking Rex to teach her to swim. At least from the way the little Artificial Blade was miming swimming.

Nia came to a stop nearby, idly kicking her legs underwater with her arms outstretched to keep her floating in place. “Six times? Are you just stubborn or something?”

“Says the one who lost four in a row after seeing Rex beat me.” Seriously, did people have to remind her about those losses?

“I won the fourth time.”

“Sure, because you cheated.” 

Nia splashed Mythra in the face with a little jet of water, causing Mythra to splutter. “I just used my natural skills to win. How is that cheating?”

“Ugh, whatever. You’re just as competitive as I am. What? Did you swim over to challenge me? See who takes silver?” Honestly, after seeing the race Mythra wasn’t certain she could beat Nia in a swimming contest. Not certain she would lose either. It’d be close for sure.

“Nah, I came to ask you a question. I was wondering...what kinda bet did you make with Rex?” Oh, of course. There it was, Nia getting pushy. Mythra pointedly avoided Nia’s sneaky devilish smile.

“It’s been so long I can barely remember.” Mythra felt her gaze drifting up to the sky, though she felt her face growing red.

“Mythra, it was ten minutes ago. Give or take. Come on, dish! Was it something saucy? Something naughty?” Nia swam closer and poked Mythra in the ribs. Once. Twice. On the third one Mythra reached out and pushed Nia underwater by grabbing the top of her head.

When Mythra released her, Nia popped out of the water with a loud gasp. “Oi! Doing that just means I’m right you know.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Jeez, did Nia really have to push the issue so hard? 

Nia threw an arm around Mythra’s shoulders and pulled her closer. With her water ether Nia kept herself floating without the use of her arms or legs. “Would it help if I told you I made a bet with Rex too?”

Huh? She had? Not that Mythra cared or anything. “So what? You can’t trick me.”

With a level of purely annoying grace Nia released Mythra’s shoulders and _walked_ up out of the water as if taking the stairs. When the woman was standing effortlessly on the surface of the water she grinned down at Mythra. “Did you know these ears aren’t for show?”

“You...what?” No. No no. No no no.

“I wanted you to admit it, but the truth is I totally heard every word of that bet. So you know what I did?” Mythra was fairly certain she didn’t want to know.

“I made the same bet. Ta-ta!” With a delighted laugh Nia flipped back into a series of handsprings that brought her over to the rest of their companions. 

Mythra floated there, struck momentarily dumb and mute by that admission. Then she plunged herself into the water. _‘I’m gonna kick her ass I swear…’_

Had Nia made the bet to mess with her? Or was it…

\----------------------

As the day had worn on they had gone in and out of the water, even taking a break for lunch. Most of the other swimmers had drifted away, going home or off to whatever work they had. Only a few families remained at the far side. Everyone was giving them a wide berth. 

Now they found themselves a little away from the shore, right where the water started to grow deeper. Rex was lazily floating on his back, Mythra bobbing nearby upright, and Vess standing with just her neck and head above the water. Poppi was swimming slow laps around them using the technique Rex had shown her. The oddest ones were Nia, who was sitting cross-legged on top of the water itself and idly bouncing Tora up and down on a jet of water behind her. For his part Tora seemed more disoriented than upset about the treatment. 

Rex looked around at the rest of the group as he took in one big inhale of the fresh air. “This has been gobs of fun, but we should probably make our way back in a little while. Navine wanted to check in with us tonight and I want to stop and chat with Gramps.”

“That seems like a wise choice,” said Vess. “I suspect we’ll only have one more day here at the most, unless we get specific news from Navine. I was certainly delighted by this day of swimming. Oh back when we were younger Mabon would have loved this. He was never a stronger swimmer, but he does enjoy the outdoors.”

“We,” pop into the air. “Go,” and back down onto the water. “To Uraya,” up again. “Next?” And down he went, but this time there was no stream of water to catch him. Tora plunged heavily into the lake, splashing the rest of them. Except for Nia, who “miraculously” was untouched. She shrugged apologetically with a look that said, ‘coulda happened to anyone’.

Poppi changed the direction of her swimming lap and plucked Tora out of the water, holding him above her head as she swam in place. “Poppi likes seeing new places with friends. Poppi will form many memories.”

Mythra swept her hair out of her eyes, shot a suspicious glare at Nia, and then focused back in on the child-like Artificial Blade. “I’ve always heard Uraya is beautiful. The only time I was ever there I didn’t exactly get to go sightseeing. I was basically in and out. Just a bunch of...pomp and circumstance.”

Vess clapped her hands together and with a look of delight she said, “Oh! I’ve heard the Olethro Playhouse is quite an impressive sight with an incredible view of the Cloud Sea.”

“Yeah,” said Mythra, “I’ll pass on that.”

“Why? Are you not a fan of heights.”

Mythra rolled her eyes. “Seen it. Believe me, nothing of any interest has ever come from that place.”

“Anyway,” said Rex after a few moments. “Before we head back there’s some stuff I wanted to get everyone. I picked up some things in town with Tora before we got here.”

“Rex-Rex did? Why he not tell Tora?” Tora pointed towards Rex with one of his tiny hands and Poppi dutifully swam the two of them closer.

“Uh, Tora...you were with me the whole time. Were you not paying attention?”

“Masterpon only able to focus for long periods of time in select scenarios. That why Poppi have three thousand six hundred and twelve different protocols for Keep Masterpon On Task Mode.” 

Nia stood up on the water and stretched from side to side, waking her body back up. “I can’t tell if that’s impressive or if I should feel bad for Poppi.”

“You guys, can we stay on track here? Come on, I’m heading back to shore. You guys can join when you’re ready.” True to his word Rex swam at a sedate pace back to shore and over to where their belongings had been set out. One by one the rest of them followed. 

Shortly before they made it to shore Mythra grabbed Nia by the ankle and tugged down, pulling the grey haired Blade under the water. Nia resurfaced and Mythra mimed back Nia’s own faux apologetic reaction. While the two of them engaged in a back and forth splash fight everyone else joined Rex.

Rex was busy rooting through the bag he had brought with him. When the first three sat down on the towels laid out in front of him he flashed them a big smile and pulled out the first item. He held out a package to Vess. “I wasn’t sure what the best options were, but I got you some extra cooking supplies and maps of Uraya and Mor Ardain. I thought, you know, with the extras I could help you out the next time you make dumplings. And the maps…”

She gently accepted the package from him, her smile warm and honest. “For finding where Mabon and I buried those bracers, right?”

Rex nodded enthusiastically. “I know you said you didn’t remember perfectly, so I thought a good quality set of topographical maps would help.”

“That’s quite sweet Rex. And I’d love to have your help in the kitchen. Mythra’s too if she’s still interested.”

Having seen what Rex was up to both Poppi and Tora now seemed more interested, leaning in closer to wait on their turn. 

Rex brought out a small, but surprisingly heavy, plain brown box. “Poppi, I thought you’d like this. I got some sewing equipment for you. I was thinking once we’re in Uraya you could pick out fabrics that you like and you and Tora could make some new outfits. I know you were disappointed you couldn’t wear all the other ones Tora got you. I don’t really get it myself, but it seemed to make you two happy so…”

Poppi hugged the box to her chest and swayed back and forth. “Poppi have sewing subroutines that will be perfect! Maybe can make Masterpon new clothes too. With Vess and Nia making Masterpon exercise, Masterpon will soon be smallypon!”

“Mehmeh...Tora not want to shrink, just get better at Driveryness.”

The next thing Rex brought out was a book with a colorful front and back cover. “I know both of you can use the sewing stuff, but I thought Tora would like this.”

Tora accepted the outstretched book and then bounced to his feet with excitement. “This newest issue of Nimble Nopon Get Girls! Tora been wanting this, but not have money to buy before leaving Gormott!”

Vess leaned in closer to Rex and whispered, “Did you buy him...you know what?”

“No way! It’s some sort of action comic. I was a little afraid to look, but it’s rated for youth ages so it seemed safe. From the back cover I think it’s about a team of fighting maids or something.” Rex was honestly glad he had stumbled upon it. He had been considering buying Tora a new wrench or something before he spotted the book.

Tora held the book up over his head. “This long running tale of great team of supreme maidiness Noponic Maids! Together they battle evil Galaxy Soldiers using friendship, blushy-crushy, and explosions!”

Frankly that made a little _too_ much sense. “Uh, yeah. Well I’m glad you like it Tora. Guess I shouldn’t be surprised you’re a fan.”

The large Nopon threw a wing around Rex’s shoulder and started opening up the book right then and there. “Tora will gladly explain nuanced backstory of Nimble Nopon Get Girls to Rex-Rex. Story take many hours, but very worth the telling.”

“Maybe next time.” Thankfully Tora bounced away, happily showing Poppi and then Vess the book.

Mythra and Nia were finally coming ashore, having finished their “fight”. In fact, as they walked Nia drew all of the water off of herself and Mythra, letting it drop as a ball into the sand. _‘Wait, why did we bring towels at all?’_

The two women stopped in front of them, both of them adopting a pose with hands on hips. Upon spotting their similar stances, they shifted their postures, Mythra crossing her arms over her chest and Nia sitting down promptly with her legs folded beneath her. “So,” said Nia. “what’s with this stuff you picked up?”

“Rex-Rex buy presents! Nia want to hear epic tale of maidiness?” Nia responded with the flattest stare possible and Tora positively wilted.

“Uh, yeah, I got some stuff for everyone. We’ve all been going through some rough times, so I wanted to pick out things to show my appreciation. Maybe it’s dumb, but...well I talked it over with Gramps earlier and he seemed to think it was a good idea so…”, Rex trailed off awkwardly.

Mythra raised an eyebrow and then smirked down at him. “What did you get Tora? A new wrench?”

“The thought never even crossed my mind.” Rex was fairly certain he kept a straight face there. “A-anyway, I got stuff for you two as well.”

He dug into the bag and produced a thick yellow leather bound book. “Nia, I don’t know if you’ll like it, but I got a hobbyist book. It talks about all kinds of different pastimes. I thought maybe since you just Awakened it’d be nice to have something to give you ideas.”

Nia accepted the proffered book and perused the inside flap and the first few pages. “Not bad...I’m sure I can find some fun things to do here. There’s plenty of stuff I know, but I can’t say I woke up with any particular hobbies. Thanks Rex.”

Rex still felt a little embarrassed about her gift. Everything else he could think of would have been a great gift for the previous Nia, but he wanted to find something for this Nia. No matter how much he felt like he knew her, the truth was that they were still getting to know each other. “Oh, and Mythra I got you what we talked about.”

“What we...talked about?” Mythra cocked her head in confusion. “I don’t remember talking to you about a gift.”

“Huh? Well...maybe I didn’t phrase it that way, but it did come up so…”, he plucked out a brown lumpy package and passed it over to her. “It’s a sketch pad and some starter painting supplies. I thought after that conversation we had you might want to give it a try.”

Mythra stared blankly down at the package. Rex fidgeted uncomfortably as the silence continued. “Ummm, sorry if you don’t like it. I just thought…”

She shook her head slowly. “No. I like it,” she said ever so softly. “Thank you.”

Rex heaved a sigh of relief and leaned back. “Well I’m glad that went over well. Now that I got that done, we should start heading back.”

“What about you, Rex?”, asked Vess. “Is there anything you’d like?”

He laughed and shook his head vehemently. “No, just having everyone here with me, well that’s more than I could ask for. I don’t want anyone going out of their way for me.”

Quickly he gathered up his towel and the now empty bag, preparing to head back into town. As a result he missed the moment when the rest of them exchanged pointed meaningful looks.

\----------------

After a long and fun, but physically tiring day, Rex and the others had retired for the night. Navine had briefly dropped by to tell them that a few of the older villagers said they vaguely recognized the name from an older play they had seen performed. Apparently a number of years ago a playwright who operated out of Fonsa Myma had presented one of his plays in Tristitia.

Everyone agreed that, since their plan had been to stop in Uraya for supplies anyway, that making a pitstop at the playhouse to see if they could learn more wouldn’t be too bad an idea. Unfortunately, none of the villagers who had seen the play recalled its name or the name of the playwright. Hopefully the playhouse would have records of who had performed in Tristitia since it was an uncommon occurrence.

They had been provided three separate rooms, one for Tora and Rex, another for Vess and Poppi, and the final one for Mythra and Nia. It didn’t take long for everyone to wind down for the evening. Despite insisting he could party for hours to come, Tora was out already, snoring away on top of his covers.

Suppressing a yawn Rex undressed and got into bed. It was nice to be on a soft mattress again. The ones on their ship were thin and hard. Even though he was used to sleeping on the ground, it wasn’t exactly his preference. Maybe they could swap to new mattresses sometime in the future. The ones on Gramps’ back weren’t quite the right size to fit the built-in frames on the ship. 

Rex pulled the covers up over himself and rolled onto his side, feeling exhaustion starting to set in. Swimming for hours was something he was used to, but it was still draining. He had ended up racing against Mythra six times and Nia four times. Nia had been nice enough to only use her elemental talents to cheat once. It was fun. Like being a kid again.

The happiness on everyone’s faces as they splashed about or floated idly in the water or laughed and joked with each other...it had warmed him. There was nothing quite like the sight of smiling happy people.

He yawned again, drifting steadily off. There was no telling what the future would hold, but it would be something interesting. 

Before he fell asleep a simple thought crossed his mind. _‘What should I do...about that bet?’_

\-------------------

By the time noon rolled around the next day they had departed Tristitia and began their voyage toward Uraya. This time they kept a fairly sedate pace, allowing Gramps to remain alongside their boat. Despite protestations that it wasn’t necessary the elderly Titan seemed delighted by the opportunity to chat with the rest of them.

Rex didn’t regret his decision, even when the others started egging Gramps on to tell them stories about when Rex was a child. Gramps always did have the best memory for the worst stories. He never seemed to remember the good ones. At least that’s how it felt to Rex.

“And he kept getting distracted by the merchandise. Why when the owner spotted Rex taking apart one of the clocks he,” Rex rolled his eyes, distinctly trying to ignore the story. Of course Gramps had neglected to mention that Rex had been seven at the time. Well either way, the result was the same. Getting turned down for an apprenticeship under a traveling clock maker had just given him the opportunity to become a salvager. 

“What Rex’s first words? Masterpon programmed Poppi’s first words, so Poppi curious about this subject.” Rex felt a twitch start in his left eye. Of all the questions, why did it have to be that one?

He gave a warning look to Gramps who, bless him, didn’t bat an eye. “Hmmm? First words? I can’t quite recall. Was it tree? Oh! Was it Gramps?” 

Rex rolled his eyes. Of course that’s where Gramps would go with it. “Who knows? It was a long time ago. What were your first words Poppi?”

Thankfully it had deflected the topic away from something embarrassing. Poppi started to answer, but Tora butted in and insisted that it didn’t count. This, of course, made Mythra and Vess suspicious.

After Poppi reenacted her first words, to Tora’s dismay, Gramps burst out laughing. It was a deep rumbling sound that, when you were on his back you could actually feel. Rex faintly remembered getting a joke book from a merchant just to try making Gramps laugh. He couldn’t remember whether it was that he liked how Gramps back shifted or if it had been for some other reason.

Rex pointedly ignored how Mythra was hoisting Tora out over the Cloud Sea with one hand gripping the Nopon’s suspenders. She wouldn’t drop him after all. Probably. Surely not. Well it’d be fine. Right?

Vess came to stand by the wheel next to Rex, watching Mythra harangue Tora out of the corner of her eye. Nia was doubled over with laughter and Poppi seemed especially confused. “So Rex, are you looking forward to seeing Uraya?”

“A bit, yeah. I keep hearing it’s real pretty and super unique. Lots of cool flora and fauna, that sort of thing. Honestly up until now I’ve only ever been to two of the big continent Titans, Gormott and Leftheria. A bunch of small and mid-sized ones sure, but the continents are totally different. How many have you seen?” 

She paused to consider the question. “Technically? Four. Most of the adventures Mabon and I had were on either Mor Ardain or Gormott, though we did spend some time here and there in Uraya. We only went to the capital a few times.”

“That’s three. And why ‘technically’?”

“We visited Indol very briefly, but never saw anything beyond the port and the port market. The visit was part of a bodyguard job so there was no opportunity for sightseeing.” Vess turned to watch as Mythra finally set Tora back down onto the deck, although she continued berating him. Poppi seemed to think it was some sort of game, although Rex suspected she actually enjoyed giving Tora a hard time, so she offered to tell Mythra some insults in Nopon.

Rex had tried to learn the language for a while, but he hadn’t had much luck with it. The Nopon themselves didn’t seem to offer courses or publish books on the language, so you just had to pick up bits here and there. Way too much of what he had learned was profanity, but that was what he got for trying to learn Nopon from a bunch of salvagers. Gramps knew the language, but all of his lectures had been super boring.

“That’s a shame. I think Mythra will probably want to go to Indol as well based on what she’s said, so maybe we’ll get a chance to see a lot more of it. I don’t know much about it other than that the Praetorium is there.” He vaguely recalled thinking the bells in the memory of Elysium were the Praetorium. Although he couldn’t remember where he had heard that the Praetorium had bells. A book maybe?

“Have you considered further what to do about Mor Ardain? It won’t be as simple as marching in and demanding a duel with the Empress.” 

“I doubt clearing our names would do any good at this point. Pretty sure she’s just using that fake stuff from Torigoth as an excuse. But no, I haven’t figured anything out yet. We’d probably need a safe third party to act as a mediator like they do during trade disputes, but I’ve got no idea how we’d accomplish that.” Maybe Gramps had some ideas? Although the old Titan always did say he never paid too much attention to Human politics.

Vess smiled cheerily at him. “If I think of anything I’ll let you know.” There was a momentary hesitation before she continued. “When we get to Uraya, would you like to meet Noelle?”

That was Mabon’s daughter from what Rex recalled. “Sure! That’d be nice. She’s married, right?”

“Yes, to a nice Urayan man. No children yet, but perhaps that’s for the best. I’m sure she’ll make a wonderful mother when the time is right.” 

Rex paused to consider what she meant by ‘for the best’, but he wasn’t completely sure. Because of the rising tensions between Uraya and Mor Ardain maybe? “Well since you helped raise her I bet she’ll be great at it!” He grinned up at her, trying not to crane his neck too much. She really was fairly tall.

Vess let out a tinkling laugh, putting a hand up to her mouth to forestall it. “Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh. That was quite sweet Rex. But, have you ever considered not smiling like that when you say things of that manner?”

He scratched his head in confusion. “Not sure I get it. Why would I change how I smile?”

She smiled mysteriously at him. “Oh never you mind. Although I suspect you’ll be a very dangerous man as you get older.”

Vess turned and walked away, going over to break up what had devolved into a battle of nonsense insults. Nia was practically rolling around laughing, Mythra was red in the face, and Poppi was saying some...very inappropriate things without any context. 

Rex folded his arms and thought about her comment for a few more moments, but no matter what ideas he turned over in his head he couldn’t come up with an answer. What did smiling have to do with being dangerous?

\-----------------

Nia stifled a yawn as she sat up from her stiff bed. Rex was right. They really did need to find better mattresses than the ones that had come with the boat. The boat shifted slightly with the motion of the Cloud Sea, but other than a faint breeze whistling across the roof everything was silent. Understandable. They had gone to bed hours ago, but her dreams kept waking her up. Not that she remembered any of them.

She kicked her feet over the edge of the bed and stood up, restoring her sleeves and rope belt in the same motion. The boots she left off. The night breeze would feel good against her bare legs and feet. Nia walked softly so as to not wake anyone else and headed up onto the deck.

What awaited her there was a surprise. Leaning up against the far railing, staring out into the distance, was Mythra. Except it wasn’t. She wore a simple white shirt and fuzzy red shorts that came halfway down her thighs, but more importantly her long hair was the same vibrant red color as those shorts. That hair was the same length and style, but the color was so starkly different from Mythra’s blonde. Yet who else could it be?

Nia cautiously approached. Nothing seemed dangerous, but it was certainly strange. A Blade couldn’t just casually change their hair color, could they? Nia was certain she could do it if she concentrated, but it would have been a pain to try to keep it that way. By Mythra’s posture, for surely it had to be her, the woman was totally relaxed. 

Without looking behind her the woman spoke, and it was Mythra’s voice, but it wasn’t. The tone and timbre was wrong. She was a little higher and softer than Mythra normally was. People’s voices changed all the time and to a normal person the change would have seemed minor. But to Nia’s ears it was stark. The more she focused the more off everything seemed. The rhythm of her words, the pattern to Mythra’s breathing, it was all different. “Nia, I didn’t wake you, did I?”

“Ummm, no. Couldn’t sleep. You?” Nia came to stand next to Mythra and the woman smiled warmly at her. The face was the same, but her eyes were red now. Nia had known Mythra wasn’t a normal Blade, but seeing the Aegis do something like this...well it felt more of a confirmation than seeing the other woman in battle. 

“I slept more than enough for any number of lifetimes. It’s nice to take the opportunity to breathe the night air.” Her smile was so warm and friendly. Wait, not just her smile.

_‘Am I imagining it or does it actually feel a little warmer right around her?’_ Nia pushed the thought away. It was just ambient body heat after all.

“So Mythra, what’s with the,” she gestured to Mythra from head to toe, “you know, everything.”

Mythra reached up and ran her hands through her red hair. “I like it, what do you think? I actually pestered Rex by asking him what kind of hair he likes, but he never did give me a straight answer. I think he was embarrassed.” She laughed, and even that sounded different.

“Well no surprise there. I can’t decide if he has no idea how to handle women or if he just…”, she let herself trail off. Mythra didn’t ask for her to elaborate thankfully. 

It was pretty obvious to see that Rex found Mythra and herself physically attractive. He had a distinctive way of avoiding looking at them that she had noticed. Rex made a lot of eye contact, but if his eyes ever trailed to...certain other parts he swiftly looked away. At first she had assumed it was embarrassment like she had just suggested to Mythra, but after seeing the sleeping situation on Gramps’ back she had come to a different conclusion. 

Two beds. Not three. And that yellow dress had been hanging up near Rex’s bed. Cheeky of him. So while she had chosen not to pry further it was fairly clear that her previous Driver had some form of intimate relationship with Rex. It wouldn’t do to dwell on the exact nature, but those connections came together to point at one additional possibility. Rex felt guilty about looking at other women.

Nia wasn’t sure of the exact timeline. Months probably since her previous Driver had passed. From her interactions with Nia she was certain Mythra hadn’t met the previous Nia or her Driver. But Rex’s reactions made it clear the memory was still fresh. 

“Nia? You look troubled. Is everything alright?” Mythra’s voice was full of concern and her eyes were kind and compassionate. It...felt a little weird. Was she usually putting up a front around the others?

“I’m fine, just can’t seem to stop my brain from thinking about pointless things. That’s probably why dreams keep waking me up.” Mythra nodded understandingly. 

“I can certainly understand that. Dreams can be pleasant, but they can often show us things we don’t care for.” There was a solemnity to her that felt wrong to Nia. Not fake, just...off. Frankly she had no idea how to handle the situation. The rhythms people spoke with didn’t change so distinctly, she was sure of it. 

The Aegis, she decided, was a distinctly unusual woman. Nia felt like changing the subject. “So how long can you keep your hair like that? I’m pretty sure I could change mine too, but it’d take some serious focus to maintain it.”

“Until I stop. Have you tried changing yours? It’s pretty fun to experiment. I could help if you like.”

Nia wasn’t sure what Mythra meant by that, but it didn’t hurt to give it a try. Believing you could do something wasn’t the same as knowing. Well, for a Blade it usually was, but this was a bit different. She closed her eyes and concentrated. Momentarily the thought of mimicking the other woman’s currently red hair crossed her mind, but it felt like an unnatural color to her. Instead she went for something simple and altered the composition of the ether structure that composed her hair, shifting it to black.

“Oh! It looks so pretty. I wish you could see it. Here, open your eyes.” Nia did so and nearly lost her concentration immediately. Mythra had changed her hair to the same black color Nia had imagined and even made the style and length mimic Nia’s own hair.

Mythra smiled happily at her. “I know it isn’t the same since we don’t have the same skin tone or facial structure, but I thought it would give you some idea of what it looks like.”

“That’s...pretty impressive.” Almost scary honestly. If she could casually change herself that way, would she? Nia wasn’t certain, although she could faintly understand the appeal. Still, it wasn’t something she was especially interested in. “You look better with the blonde or red though.”

Nia let her own hair return to its normal color and almost sighed with relief. Maintaining focus on the mental self image had been making her hold her neck stiffly and there was some tension in her muscles. Thankfully it would be gone momentarily. The perks of being a Blade. Mythra’s own hair became red again. 

Mythra seemed to be considering something as she looked Nia up and down. “What is it? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I was thinking how much skill that takes for a normal Blade. You’ve either got natural talent or you’re quite old.”

Nia frowned, her forehead scrunching up in confusion. “It’s hardly been any time at all since Rex resonated with me. Not like Blades have normal ages anyway.”

“Of course they do. Blades might lose almost everything when they return to their core, but there’s a build up of residual information. So Blades grow and age over time. I could tell you how long since your first Awakening if you’d like.” Now that was something Nia wouldn’t have expected. 

“Are you two playing dress up in the middle of the night?” Mythra and Nia turned in surprise at the sound of Vess’ voice. The purple eyed Blade stood at the doorway leading into the cabin area of the boat. She must have seen them changing their hair colors.

Vess came closer, joining them. She eyed Mythra and then Nia’s hair curiously, but didn’t say anything at first. After a moment she spoke. “I like my color, but if I could change my hair the way Mythra can I might make it shorter at times. I love how long my hair is, but it _does_ get in the way at times.”

Nia reached behind herself and pulled one of the tails of her hair over her shoulder. “Mine’s not quite as long as yours and even I feel like that sometimes. I imagine it’d be hell to maintain if I were Human. Not sure I’d look good with short hair though.”

The taller woman waved a hand dismissively. “With your features? I’m sure you’d like fetching with any style.” She turned her attention to Mythra. “The red hair is quite distinctive dear.”

“Thank you.”

Vess focused on Mythra’s eyes for a moment and then down at the woman’s fuzzy red sleeping shorts. “You really do like sticking to a theme don’t you? You even kept to a color scheme with your bathing suit.”

Mythra clasped her hands together in front of herself and shifted slightly side to side. “Sorry. It’s easier to picture that way.”

“Did you try out this look on that aging Titan? I thought your eyes were red for a moment one night.” Vess sounded genuinely curious, but the question actually made Nia feel a little better. Perhaps even the mighty Aegis needed prep time before making a drastic change like this. Wait...was blonde even the woman’s default hair color? 

“Oh, yes. I’m sorry if that surprised you. I was deep in thought about being like this and I didn’t notice you talking to me at first.”

Nia still had no idea what to make of Mythra being apologetic. Heck, even the woman’s posture seemed different. Which attitude was the real Mythra? Or were both of them an image she projected? “So Vess, right as you showed up Mythra was telling me she could figure out how long ago a Blade’s first Awakening was. You curious?”

Vess glanced briefly up at the starry sky before looking back down and smiling brightly at Mythra. “That seems interesting. How do you tell?”

Mythra stretched a hand out towards Vess. “I need to touch your Core Crystal. If that’s okay?” Vess nodded, so Mythra placed a single finger on the blue core and both women’s crystals shined momentarily with their distinct colors.

Just like that Mythra pulled her hand away and the light faded. “One hundred and nineteen years. That means you’ve been in this incarnation for nearly half of your total lifetime. That’s quite impressive.”

“Interesting. Although I suppose I had no expectations going in. Is that young, old, or somewhere in-between?” Vess’ purple eyes twinkled with curiosity.

“Fairly young, though the length of your current incarnation makes up for that. It wouldn’t be surprising for a Blade a century older than yourself to have only been Awake for a third of their total ‘lifetime’.”

Nia leaned her side up against the railing and grinned at the both of them. “So if we don’t count your years asleep, doesn’t that mean you’re the youngest one here Mythra?”

“I suppose so. Although as the Aegis the same rules don’t always apply to me.” Normally if Mythra said something like that it would sound like she was bragging, but now it just sounded like a woman stating a fact.

“Is it an Aegis thing that lets you tell how old a Blade is? Sorta like how you can tell if a person has the aptitude to become a Driver?,” Nia asked.

“Not just an Aegis thing. It’s a Mythra thing. Malos can’t feel the breath of a Blade like I can. Well, Malos could determine how old a Blade’s core was, but not judge aptitude. Despite both of us being Father’s Blades our abilities aren’t identical.” Now Nia was even more curious than she had been. Mythra hadn’t seemed especially keen on sharing details about her abilities or about Malos, so it was rare to hear this much.

“Alright, so what about me?” Nia gestured to her own core. Mythra reached and touched a finger to it, repeating the same process she had with Vess. Vess herself watched quietly, but Nia could tell from the woman’s expression that she was curious.

Mythra pulled her hand away and tilted her head to the side, looking very intently at Nia’s core crystal. “Nia your core…”

“Eh? Is something wrong?” She patted herself up and down. “Doesn’t feel like anything   
is amiss, but you’re the super Blade.”

Mythra shook her head. “No no, nothing wrong. You could say I’m surprised. Seven hundred and eighty-three years. That’s how long.”

Nia whistled and even Vess seemed surprised. The older, or well Nia supposed the younger Blade leaned in a little closer. “I was going to guess around two hundred, but nearly eight centuries…”

The Aegis folded her arms behind her back. “That’s quite old for a Blade.There’s only a few active Blades on Alrest around that age.”

“Really? I would have thought there’d be more since we’re all immortal. I guess there really aren’t enough Drivers after all.” Made sense. Not to mention how many Blades got passed around. It was common knowledge that potential Drivers preferred to try and resonate with a core if they knew the type of Blade that would be Awakened.

“Being a Blade can be quite dangerous,” said Vess. “That being said, you two really should get some sleep. We should be arriving in Uraya sometime tomorrow after all.”

Mythra tilted her head up and gazed out at the World Tree. “I do enjoy the opportunity to talk like this, just us girls. I might stay up a little longer.”

_‘Well,’_ thought Nia, _‘a bit longer should be fine.’_

\-------------------

Nia and Vess had gone to bed, but she had remained awake. It wasn’t often she got this long to wander and truly feel the touch of the world on her body. Now that they were properly Awake again everything was starting to change. Day by day it was as if her mind became sharper and more distinct. Mythra didn’t want to admit it, but she was growing.

Mythra had needed her, once. Perhaps she still did, but what terrified her the most was the thought of Mythra no longer needing her.

She peeked in at Rex’s tiny cabin where he was sleeping peacefully. There was a serenity to him that she appreciated. Still, it wouldn’t do to give Mythra another scare, so she closed the door and retreated to her own room. Mythra’s room.

When she entered she crossed to the sink and looked at herself in the mirror. It still didn’t feel like she was looking at her own face. In many ways she wasn’t. She reached up and traced her fingers across her cheeks, tilting her head up to look at the color of her eyes. Truthfully she didn’t know who had picked that color. Had it been herself or Mythra?

She pulled away from the sink and let her clothes fade away, tucking herself into the bed. Mythra would still need to physically rest, even if she didn’t need as much as a Human. She suspected that Mythra would remember the conversation eventually, but for at least a little while it could be hers and hers alone.

As she let her body’s physical exhaustion take over her thoughts returned to Mythra’s determination. Her desperation. If Mythra truly did reach a point where she no longer had need of the self that she was becoming…

Mythra might still be deciding on it, but she was certain that she didn’t want to die. The thought terrified her. 

To die without ever truly stepping foot into the world? To die without so much as her own name? Nothing was more frightening than that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a long and primarily fluff-centric chapter. But next, onward to Uraya!


	26. Moving Pieces

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes I realize this is crazy fast after the previous one. On the plus side, as of today I'm no longer in quarantine. That does mean I'll be working again and it'll slow me back down.

Zeke settled the wooden sign into place and admired his handiwork. He had painted it by hand and it had come out very nicely if he did say so himself. The bright red was a nice touch as well as the two exclamation marks. Really got the point across. It read “Caution: Ongoing Construction, Keep Out!!”

Truthfully it wouldn’t keep anyone away for very long, but it’d stop some random citizen from falling into one of the holes his fight with the fake Aegis had made. There were only a few big enough for someone to fall through to the Cloud Sea below, but plenty that were just the right size for a limb to slip into and get cut up by splinters. 

As rough as this part of town was no one would immediately report the sounds of battle or explosions to the Ardanians, which would give him some much needed time. After all, these were likely to be the folks who resented Mor Ardain the most. Supposedly many of the people living in this dilapidated section of town were just one or two generations removed from refugees caused by the war with Mor Ardain. 

Most of the Gormotti refugees had fled the country and given themselves over to the graces of Indol, but not everyone had been willing or able to leave their home behind. These people had been beaten down by chance, poverty, and despair, but they kept living in spite of all of that. It was admirable. And depressing.

Zeke wiped his hands on his pants and picked up the bucket of paint and the paintbrush, hauling it with him back to the fake Aegis’ apartment. He set them down in the corner after entering and closed the door behind him.

“How are things looking, Pandy?” His Blade had been keeping an eye on the unconscious woman while he worked on the sign. She had been out for a while now, but hopefully once she woke up they could get some additional answers. 

Pandy sat in a chair across from the Flesh Eater’s bed where she slept peacefully. Pandy had the Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher propped up against the wall a few feet away, just in case. 

In the daylight it was clear that, while small, the apartment was well kept. Its owner, who the informant had listed as Chiyome, was presumably the Flesh Eater in question based on the provided description. Still, he didn’t yet know if that was an assumed name or if it was her real one. 

Pandy’s tail swished back and forth from where it protruded out of the opening in the back of the chair. “She’s muttered a little bit in her sleep, but I can’t tell if that means she’s close to waking up or just dreaming.”

Zeke squatted next to her and watched the woman in the bed carefully. Seeing her sleeping so calmly was a heck of a contrast to the fight she had given them while acting in the role of a fake Aegis. “Say Pandy...if she had been fighting with her real Blade weapon from the start, how do you think the fight would have gone?”

She shuddered. “I mean, I bet we’d win because we’re us, but it would have been rough. That almost invisible cutting attack with a chain sickle? I think we were lucky. Which, since you were involved, is kinda a surprise.”

“You know…”

Still, she was only saying what he had been thinking. That disguise had made her weaker, not stronger. Although whether he could call it a disguise was a different question. She hadn’t passed out from injury. It had seemed to be mental trauma. Whatever had happened, she had truly believed she was the Aegis Mythra. Had she done it to herself or was someone else involved?

The first option was preferable. Flesh Eaters sometimes had strange powers, so one who could drastically change their appearance like that wouldn’t be too unusual. But her altered mental state suggested it was the second. That line of thinking was much scarier.

“Let’s take turns watching her. You get some shut eye. I’ll wake you up in a few hours so we can swap.” There was no point in taking this Blade to the Relay Base without proof. They needed her to wake up and they needed answers. 

\----------------

Niall set aside his notes and leaned back, rubbing his temples. The beginning signs of a tension headache were building up. The resources he had gathered were difficult to sort through, but he was beginning to gain an understanding of Torna’s movements. However, none of his conclusions helped him establish a method for making contact with them.

There were two promising leads. A trail of reports and expense filings that led back to a Gormotti lord who may have had a business relationship with Torna. However, none of those records so far were proof that the lord was aware of who he had been dealing with. There were also no indications that they had open communication. Niall had yet to be able to find any traces of active contact. 

It bore further investigation, but it was the less promising of the two. If he was able to determine any signs of illegal activity he would poise operatives to act, but now wasn’t the time. After all, if the Aegis Malos accepted the Empress’ invitation then that lord would be pardoned. If he was, in fact, an associate of Torna. 

The second lead was more dangerous, but held a stronger possibility of contact. There were indications of open contact between Torna and a group of Core Crystal hunters. Niall was familiar with this band, as they had performed operations in Mor Ardain at various points. Unfortunately, the military had been unable to capture the criminals as of yet. Intelligence reports indicated they made their base of operations in Uraya, so that was where he was headed. 

As the Special Inquisitor he could only enter Uraya in an official capacity if the proper arrangements were made. If he entered via official channels he would be watched at all times by Urayan agents. That kind of attention would tip off the Core Crystal hunters before he could reach them. 

That meant entering Uraya in disguise. Changing his own appearance would be easy. Although he had been to Uraya before, most people would recognize the uniform of the Special Inquisitor before his own visage. Aegaeon would be the difficult part. 

Uraya openly engaged the services of mercenaries and even had official barracks in Fonsa Myma. They were used to seeing Drivers and Blades. However, Aegaeon’s appearance was known to the Urayans as he was a famous Blade, passed down through the generations of the Imperial family. If Aegaeon were to simply wear a cloak he could, at a glance, pass for a Common Blade, but that cloak would draw attention. Chances were high that a Urayan soldier would want his registration number.

There were a few options. False registration papers, proceed without Aegaeon, or take a different Blade. Falsified registration would hold up with a Blade other than Aegaeon, but it was unlikely anyone would believe that there was a second Blade running around that just happened to look exactly like one of Mor Ardain’s Imperial Blades.

Niall knew Aegaeon’s opinion, but he had yet to make his decision. There was still a ways to go before arriving at Uraya, so there was time. Especially with their current detour.

Based on the clock on the wall they should be getting close to their destination. Niall headed outside of the sleeping quarters on their personal ship and ventured out into the sunlight. Aegaeon stood at the helm, stolid and steady as ever. “How close are we?”

Without looking back Aegaeon replied, “Within a few Titanpeds of the last known location of the Gracious Wave. If there is anything for us to see, we should become aware of it quite soon.”

Most modern ships used ether based communication, transmitting signals via ether waves. That type of signal was clearer in quality than the older style radio transmissions. Which was why it was such a surprise when they had picked up a coded radio signal. Few would recognize the message for what it was as it was composed of a series of long or short tones made in sequence. 

When properly analyzed the message had indicated the name of the ship, its approximate location, and a signal requesting immediate emergency aid. The only reason they would have sent that type of broadcast was if their ether communications were damaged or jammed. Hopefully it was a matter of damage.

Ether wave communication could be interrupted by broadcasting ether waves of the exact opposite frequency and of equal strength. The process caused both sets of ether waves to collapse and become inert. The problem was that the technology and expertise to do so was exceptionally rare. Few outside of the governments of the major nations and their militaries were aware it could be done. 

Due to how crucial ether transmission based communication had become it was considered dangerous for that technology to become well known. If pirate or privateer vessels were to suddenly be equipped with ether jamming technology it would be disastrous for international trade. 

Yes, Niall definitely preferred that it was simply a case of a communication relay being damaged. 

“Lord Niall, look.” Aegaeon raised a hand from the helm and pointed into the distance. What Niall saw there made his heart sink. Various sized chunks of debris floated atop the Cloud Sea in the general vicinity from where the Gracious Wave’s radio signal had originated. 

Upon arrival they sailed cautiously amidst the wreckage. Hunks of burnt or shattered wood and Titan flesh were scattered in a wide area. Anything heavy such as the Titan’s armored shell or metal from the Gracious Wave would have sunk. 

“Keep us in place Aegaeon. I will check the depth sensor.” He made his way over to the equipment and sent out a ping, waiting for the system to process the information. What came back confirmed his fears. 

“The mass of the Titan that had become the Gracious Wave is far below us. Something or someone killed it. A military vessel if I had to guess.” There was little else that made sense.

Aegaeon nodded in agreement. “Yes, if I recall correctly the Gracious Wave is far too large for any pirate ship to completely sink, let alone blast into pieces as seems to have occurred here. It must have been a battleship class.”

“Urayan or one of ours?” Under normal conditions Niall would have simply sent a request for confirmation to officers back home, but he didn’t want to risk any Urayan spies gaining information on the Special Inquisitor’s location. Not if he was to successfully sneak into the country.

“I cannot think of any reason for either government to destroy an independent trade vessel such as the Gracious Wave. Lord Niall, I suspect this was a third party. Tantal is unlikely. Indol, perhaps? Or…”, Aegaeon left the remaining option unsaid. The thought had crossed Niall’s mind as well. 

The secretive and nearly impossible to track movements of Torna had led Niall to a particular theory. It was possible they were operating by using a submersible of some kind. However, if it was Torna then it would indicate that these terrorists, with the Aegis Malos at their helm, had far more firepower than anyone had realized. 

Even if Malos were to submit to Empress Morag’s demand and become her Blade, could the warriors of Torna be trusted? After all, Malos had abandoned his Driver to bring death across Alrest once before. 

“Regardless of the answer, we should send an anonymous communication back home. Perhaps someone can come and perform burial rites at sea for the fallen. We cannot linger here for very long. We must continue on our path to Uraya.”

\-------------------

Kildare felt the faint warmth of a nearby flame as she roused herself to consciousness. The last thing she remembered was the Gracious Wave shattering apart around her and the Cloud Sea seemingly rising to claim her body once again. Before that there had been a fierce battle with that blonde Driver and his Blade, but the details felt fuzzy.

Oddly she felt no signs of soreness, injury, or physical weakness despite the rumbling of her stomach indicating that more than one day had passed. It was difficult to tell, with only her hunger as a clock, how long it had been. Slowly she sat up and looked around for the source of that flame. 

A little over a meter away a campfire had been started and several individuals sat around it, speaking quietly. Not too far away she could see two other campfires with people huddled around them. “How did I get here?”

They were at the edge of a sandy beach that led out into the Cloud Sea and just past them was a grassy knoll that led up the back of whichever TItan they were on. The people at the fire looked over to her and she saw that they were the strange travelers who had been on the Gracious Wave. 

The big fellow who had come to her defense raised a hand in greeting. “G’morning. More or less anyway.”

One of the travelers, an intense looking man with closely cut blonde hair, stood and approached her. He had one of those unusually designed rifles strapped to his back. He squatted down in front of her and gazed unflinchingly into her eyes. “You were set adrift after the attack that destroyed the ship. Along with eleven others, besides ourselves, we were able to bring you to shore on this Titan’s body.”

Kildare nodded. That made sense. So these were the last survivors of the Gracious Wave, the kind people who had saved her when she had been wounded and cast adrift. Now here she was on an unknown Titan having once again been dragged away from the Cloud Sea. Her short time of memories felt like they were playing on repeat. “The enemy Driver?”

Something about her question made the traveler’s eyes narrow ever so slightly. “He retreated after you destroyed his Blade. We assume he used the weapons on whatever submersible craft he came from to annihilate the Gracious Wave.”

That had been her assumption. She vaguely recalled wrapping that burning sword around the bulky muscular Blade and incinerating him with white flames. That white fire wasn’t on any part of her body currently and she saw no signs of that snake-like sword, but there was a sensation in her chest. Like if she reached out she could call upon that weapon with a thought. “Is this Titan inhabited?”

He shook his head. “Not that we have been able to ascertain. It is fairly small and according to our researcher the soil is poor quality. We are still attempting to determine how we can safely depart. We would like to get the survivors to safety. We have companions awaiting us on a Titan that should be relatively close.”

More Tantalese travelers? Assuming they really were from Tantal as she suspected. However, if Tantal had developed high tech rifles that could fire some form of ether attack then it was possible these weren’t simply travelers. Given that all save the blonde young man in the red vest they all wore similar clothing it was possible they were some sort of military or mercenary unit. 

“Now,” he began, “I’d like to let our researcher have a few words with you. He has some questions about what happened on the Gracious Wave that we’d like answered.” He hadn’t phrased that as if it was a question or an option.

“Very well.” There was no reason to be antagonistic to these people. After all, they had rescued her.

He stood and walked back to the fire. Surprisingly it was the man in the red vest who rose to meet him and head in her direction. The young man smiled obligingly at the older fellow and said, “Thanks Gadolt, I’ll take it from here.”

The young blonde man sat down cross-legged in front of her and placed his hands on his knees. There was a wariness to him, but also a clear sense of curiosity. “I appreciate what you did for us back then, but I hope you don’t mind if I ask you some important questions.”

“I do not mind.” As long as she was able to leave the island, it didn’t matter. If they made it to a large enough Titan then she could begin to search. She would find the Blade of Blue Flame.

“Excellent.” He extended his hand to her and she accepted it, the handshake firm, but without any antagonism to it. “You’re called Kildare, correct?”

“That’s right.”

“My name is Shulk, and I’d like to ask you what you experienced when you touched the Fragment.”

\---------------------

The Flesh Eater stirred and opened her eyes and then immediately threw back the covers, leaping to her feet and summoning her chain and sickle into her hands. In that same instant Pandy plucked the Dreamsmasher up and got the edge pointed right at the other woman’s face, mere centimeters away. 

Zeke jumped between them, pushing the sword down so it wasn’t aimed at their only lead. “Hey, come on now ladies, let’s relax. There’s no need to fight over me.”

If glares could kill then the twin sets of hateful stares he was receiving from those two would have stricken him on the spot. “Just a joke. Trying to lighten the mood is all.”

He pivoted and struck a dramatic pose, one hand held up over the eyepatch. “Now! My Blade Pandoria and I aren’t here to harm you! We come to spread love and peace!”

The mysterious Blade sighed and tossed her weapon over her shoulder where it landed in a pile on the bed. “What are you, twelve? Quit with the theatrics. You already did your intro last night.”

Pandy settled the sword into her lap and cocked her head. “So you do remember what happened.”

The Blade sat heavily onto the edge of the bed and reached over her shoulder, grabbing at her braid and giving it a tug. “Unfortunately, yeah. Everything is sorta distorted, but I basically remember it all.”

Zeke moved to stand next to Pandy, placing a hand on the back of the chair. “That was a rather unusual set of circumstances, yeah? We’re hoping to clear a few things up. There’s some innocent folks out there being accused of crimes they didn’t commit, and I think figuring out what was happening to you is the first step to clearing their name.”

He flashed her a shining smile, light gleaming from his teeth. “Speaking of, what’s yours?”

“Can I punch you? Just one time? If you say yes, I’ll answer any questions you ask me.” Zeke grimaced. She had said that with way too straight a face.

Pandy flicked a glance up at him and then, before Zeke could do anything to stop her, she said, “Yeah, go for it.”

A small fist struck his jaw with the kind of strength only a Blade could muster, knocking him to the floor. He grabbed at his cheek and groaned loudly. “Pandy, you betrayed me!”

The Blade rubbed at her knuckles and rolled her wrist. “Hey yeah, that was pretty satisfying. But Titan’s foot, your face is hard.”

Pandy leaned her chin on her palm and watched the other Blade from behind the glare of her glasses. “It’s because he keeps getting hit so much. He’s developing face callouses.”

Zeke kicked up onto his feet and scowled at the both of them. “Who has got face callouses? That’s not even a real thing!”

“Well, I got to punch him. So quit with the comedy routine and get to asking the questions. There’s someone else whose ass I want to kick even more.” She cracked her knuckles, her eyes filled with raw fury.

“Oh?,” said Zeke. “Who might that be?”

“The bitch who got me into this mess!”

Zeke nodded in understanding. That was more or less what he had expected. It also seemed to imply what he had been worrying about. That there was, somewhere in the world, a Blade who could in some way change the memories and appearance of other Blades. Such an incredibly dangerous talent. “Alright, start from the beginning.”

\----------------

About ten years before, Chiyome had been Awakened. Her Driver was a sickly Gormotti girl on the brink of death. Chiyome had no idea whether she had been Awakened before, but she couldn’t imagine a worse world to wake up in. There was no way her Driver would even make it a year. To come into the world and then leave it so quickly...it seemed so pointless.

Chiyome suspected her Driver had been hoping to resonate with a healing Blade, but her skills lay elsewhere. Stealth, mastery over air currents, and an uncanny sense of balance. Excellent tools for a Blade to wield in combat or for espionage purposes, but none of those would help a sick person.

When she asked, her Driver told her, after calming down from a coughing fit, that someone had sold Chiyome’s Core Crystal to her, promising it belonged to a specific Blade. Chiyome hadn’t bothered asking any further. The answer was probably depressing.

Her Driver had actually apologized for resonating with her when her life was fading away. It had been a selfish act of desperation. She even told Chiyome that there was only one request she would make and then Chiyome was free to go and do whatever she wanted with the time that was left. 

The girl never elaborated on her circumstances and Chiyome didn’t press the issue. All things considered she could probably have ended up with a worse Driver. Her life would be short, but she could make of it whatever she wanted. 

At her Driver’s behest Chiyome snuck into an abandoned mansion to search for anything of note. Her Driver wanted to know if anyone had been there. If the former owners were truly gone. What Chiyome found was a place that had been truly cleaned out. No furniture, no light, and an accumulation of dust. 

Still, mansions like that often had hidden safes, so Chiyome decided to make a more thorough search. She placed her hand on one of the walls and sent threads of air current spiraling throughout the mansion, seeking out any unseen gaps that might indicate a spot where a safe might be hiding.

There had been three unusual things of note. Two almost invisible notches in walls that could be pulled out, revealing safes embedded into the walls. Precise threads of air sent into the locking mechanism made quick work of getting them open, but nothing remained inside. They had been emptied.

The last spot was underneath a floor board in one of the rooms. There was a space below it that had been slightly hollowed out. When Chiyome inspected the floor board she found that it had been sliced apart with razor thin precision and then sealed back into place. Chiyome used her ether to pry up the board and peek below. 

A slight gap below revealed a section of the stone foundation that had been similarly sliced and then put back into place. It was the sort of precision cutting and movement that only a Blade could accomplish. A wind element like herself was most likely, with water being second most, and fire being third. An earth element would have rejoined the stone together so the job was completely invisible to the naked eye.

Her ether allowed her to pull the stone up to reveal a carved out pocket. Unfortunately what she found within wasn’t money, but instead just an old leather bound book with no title or author. A journal perhaps? A Blade’s journal?

Chiyome put everything back where it was, made one last sweep of the mansion, and then returned to her Driver. She didn’t even know what was in the book until much later, when her Driver made her an offer. If they had known, at the time, the nature of the taboo line they were about to walk perhaps their choices would have been different.

So, at the behest of her Driver, Chiyome became a Flesh Eater. An apology of sorts and a promise. A life of freedom, but one promise that could extend many lifetimes.

It wasn’t much longer after that before her Driver passed away, leaving Chiyome alone in the world. She began taking up odd jobs around Gormott, earning her way and renting a small apartment in the cheaper part of town. During one of those jobs her nature was discovered by a local lord. That was when Chiyome learned of the taboo and Indol’s predatory practices when it came to Flesh Eaters.

The lord offered her a choice. Stay out of sight and do the occasional job for him, or be reported to the Praetorium. If she was reported her life would become an endless cycle of hiding, running, and fighting until eventually she was dragged away to whatever fell fate awaited Flesh Eaters taken to Indol. 

For years she had kept herself beneath notice, eeking out a paltry living in the shadows of Torigoth. Then that woman arrived. No matter how hard she tried, Chiyome couldn’t recall the woman’s face, but she knew it was a Blade she had encountered. That Blade had done something to her and then left.

Then, not long ago, a package had arrived for her. A small communication device. It had connected and that woman had appeared in front of her, just an image, but it was surely the same Blade. Words passed into her and then she became the Aegis. 

She could recall destroying the communication device and other moments of spontaneous violence, but it was from an outsider’s perspective. As the Aegis she truly hadn’t been Chiyome. Chiyome didn’t exist. Yet as the Aegis, as Mythra, she had killed those soldiers. Killed the Consul. Then it had all fallen apart and Chiyome had been reborn, dredging through the memories left behind by the Aegis Mythra.

\-------------------

Chiyome drew her legs up onto the bed and let out a long exhausted breath. “I don’t think anyone can really understand without experiencing it. I’m not sure I could describe it properly. I just...know things. Things I couldn’t know. About the Aegis. Before they ever posted those bounty posters I knew the name of her Driver.”

She held her hands up, staring intently at her palms. “I knew his face, how he smiled, what kinds of food he likes, and so much more. Yet I knew so little about myself. Any moment of introspection just...fell apart. If you were to have asked me, as Mythra, what my favorite food was I probably wouldn’t remember the answer I gave three seconds later.”

“Other than his name I don’t know that I could tell you if anything I knew about him is real. But it felt real. That’s the scariest part. It wasn’t just that I believed I was the Aegis. I _was_ the Aegis. More or less. Maybe I sound crazy, but it’s all true.” She let her hands fall into her lap and awaited a response from Zeke and Pandoria. They had listened patiently, interrupting as little as possible. 

Pandoria reached up and touched her own Core Crystal. “What about this? It seemed like your Mythra persona started to fall apart when we pointed out your core.”

“Yeah. I normally go about with it covered with a scarf, but that wasn’t part of my outfit as Mythra. I think when I saw it in the mirror my eyes just slid past it. And after becoming her the only people I saw face to face I killed. Or she killed. Whichever. But when I looked at it, it was like my mind, or hers, was rejecting what it saw. My Core Crystal is green. This isn’t my core. That was more or less what went through my mind. Hers. Erg, whatever. You get it.” 

Zeke strode to the kitchen and grabbed a cup. “You’ve had it rough. Want some water?”

“Uh, sure. Thanks.” He poured some water from the faucet and brought it over to her. She took a big gulp and felt the cool liquid pass down her throat. It was tepid, but pleasant.

“So,” he said. “I’m guessing when that one fallacy was pointed out your mind started making other connections.”

“I don’t really know. My thoughts got super jumbled and then I suddenly felt real sick and...well next thing I knew I was waking up here.” The more Chiyome thought about it, the more she realized there were parts of being the Aegis she had liked. She had been brimming with self-confidence, overwhelmingly sure of her own power and capability. Beautiful and untouchable, that was how she had viewed herself. 

Zeke passed a second cup of water to Pandoria and scratched at his chin. “Ya know, the whole situation is pretty frustrating. It sounds like this Blade erased her face from your memory, but there’s not enough to go on to judge if those memories will come back or if they’re just gone. Still, if you’re willing to accompany me we can at least clear the names of some innocent folks.”

Chiyome shook her head vehemently. “Like hell I’m doing that. Assuming anyone believes me with no proof, after all is said and done I’ll just get shipped off to Indol. I don’t know what they do to Flesh Eaters, but the rumors are bad. I don’t want to be spare parts or a science experiment or killed or tortured or whatever it is. I'm gonna pass.”

“And what if I could offer you protection? We’ll march right into Alba Cavanich and present your case to the Empress herself. Even if it just delays Mor Ardain’s search for the Aegis and her Driver for a little bit, it would give us time to find the real culprit. Maybe even get that revenge you were hoping for.” He sure seemed confident.

“March right up to the Empress? Your protection? Who the hell do you think you are? No Driver, no matter how tough, has enough weight to throw around to protect a Flesh Eater from Indol.” Chiyome crossed her arms and scowled at him. The idiot really seemed to think he could do it.

Zeke snapped his fingers and sparks flew. Literally. “Pandy!”

She jumped up and the two went back to back, striking a pose with one arm each raised dramatically up to point at the ceiling. “If it’s weight to throw around, then the Bringer of Chaos has got plenty! If it’s to save an innocent life I’ll make the old man back down and I’ll pull rank! Who the hell do I think I am?”

Electricity surged around the two of them and Pandoria’s lights flashed with bright colors. “I am Zeke von Genbu, also known as the Zekenator, my epithet is Thunderbolt Zeke, and I am sometimes called…”

In unison they snapped their fingers and the lights and electricity flared brightly and then faded. “Ozychlyrus Brounev Tantal, Crown Prince of Tantal!”

Chiyome felt her left eye starting to twitch. _‘I really really really don’t get this guy at all…’_

\---------------------

Fonsa Myma was even bigger than Torigoth. While Torigoth had the look of a massive town that had ballooned up gradually, Uraya’s capital was wildly different. The towering buildings and sweeping staircases of a city built into the body of the Titan itself spoke to a deliberate plan. As they walked through the city, coming up from the port where they had docked, it became clearer and clearer to Rex that Uraya was a true city. 

Thousands of people bustled about their daily business in an ever flowing throng that made Torigoth pale by comparison. Urayans, Ardanians, Gormotti, Nopon, and even a few Indoline that he could see. Tristitia had felt diverse to him, but Fonsa Myma was a hub of activity. Argentum had folks from all over Alrest passing in and out all the time, but this was a different beast. These people lived here.

Rex tore his eyes away from a stall selling salvaging equipment and let them sweep in every direction. Shops with books, or food, or art, or games, or instruments, and on and on and on. It was like someone had taken Argentum and stretched it out. Rex had spent most of his time at Goldmouth since that handled salvaging transactions, but the other Titans that made up the Argentum Trade Guild would have together been more overwhelming, but their detached nature made them less intimidating.

“This place is incredible. I wasn’t expecting it to be like this.” He didn’t care one bit if that made him sound like a country bumpkin. Fonsa Myma was worth admiration. And people said that the rest of Uraya was gorgeous to behold. “Do the other capitals get this big?”

Mythra shrugged. “You got me. It’s been five centuries since I saw these places. Heck, Torigoth basically didn’t exist when I first saw it.”

Vess gently guided the distractible Tora and Poppi along, practically herding them. “Alba Cavanich is spread out over a much larger area, but few of its buildings are as tall as those in Fonsa Myma. Although Hardhaigh Palace is almost frighteningly large. From the little bit I saw of the Praetorium I suspect it’s larger than either. As to Tantal’s capital…”, she spread her hands out and shrugged, “who can say?”

Rex noticed that their group cut a path effortlessly through the crowd. It was similar to when he and Mythra had encountered the gathering at the recruitment Drive in Torigoth. People made way for Drivers and Blades, especially a group like theirs. Although it was hard to guess if they would assume Mythra was a Blade. Although Mor Ardain and Uraya had tensions building they had decided to play it safe, so Mythra was wearing the Gormotti-style cloak again, although the hood was down. “Okay, so here’s the plan. Find a place to stay, get the supplies we need, and then head up to the playhouse.”

He scratched his chin in thought. “After that, well there’s a bunch of stuff I bet all of us want to see so we can sort of enjoy the Titan. Maybe just sort of wing it? Or do we want to make a list?”

It was an odd sensation, being in Uraya. For some reason Rex couldn’t help but feel like their journey was only now truly beginning. Was it just because this was the first continent Titan they had reached since departing Gormott? Because it was the first real lead they had for finding the Titan Mythra was looking for? Or was he just getting drawn in by the energy of this place?

\---------------------

The head playwright of the playhouse was unavailable when they arrived. Apparently he and his cast were doing last minute preparations for a play that would begin within the next few days. Since it hadn’t taken long to gather the supplies they needed that meant everyone was free to explore.

Rex had been all set to begin transferring the crane from Gramps’ back to the new, still unnamed boat, but the dock team offered to do it for him. No charge, but in exchange they asked Rex and his group to eliminate some pesky Piranhax that had been interfering with travel. Despite nearly five months as a Driver Rex sometimes forgot how common that sort of thing was. People traded goods for services all the time so it wasn’t too surprising.

The oddest part of the whole thing was that Tora had offered to do the job. Of all people. Rex suspected the Nopon wanted to prove he could be helpful. Or maybe Tora wanted more practice as a Driver. Then again, Rex was pretty sure he had seen people selling Pirahnhax filets in town.

Mythra and Nia both said they had something they needed to look for in town, which left Rex and Vess. That was pretty perfect all things considered. Vess had wanted to visit Mabon’s daughter after all. So they found themselves strolling through town towards one of the residential areas. At a glance anyone who saw them walking would assume that Vess was Rex’s Blade. Even though that was the eventual plan, it did feel odd to consider. 

“So, Rex, it’s quite rare that we have the opportunity to talk like this. Just the two of us.” They weaved through the flow of foot traffic as they spoke.

“Hmmm, yeah you’re right. Hadn’t thought about that. I don’t think we’ve had many one on one conversations. Did you have something you wanted to talk about?” Maybe she wanted to talk about their meeting with Mabon’s daughter Noelle? Vess hadn’t seen Noelle in years. Was the usually unflappable Vess nervous?

“I was hoping to talk to you about Nia and Mythra actually.”

“Oh? Sure, what about them?” Their future as Blades together with Rex as their mutual Driver? Nothing else came to mind.

Vess linked her hands behind her back and tilted her head down briefly to look at him. “How do you feel about them?”

Huh? That wasn’t what he had been expecting. Or maybe it was the same thing. “They’re both pretty awesome. I admit I’d like to get to know Mythra and the new Nia better, but they’re really amazing people. I’m glad to have them around.”

“That’s a very ‘Rex’-esque response. I shouldn’t have expected any different.” She actually sounded amused. But why? What was funny about what he said?

“I’m not sure I get it. You’re not making fun of me, are you?” Vess had never seemed like the type. Was Nia’s teasing rubbing off on Vess? Rex wasn’t sure if he could handle more of it.

Vess sighed and patted him on the head like he was a little kid or something. “Hey now, cut it out Vess. What’s the big idea?”

“Rex, the relationship between Drivers and Blades can take many forms. Some good, some bad, but all of them have a deep effect on all parties involved. Do you understand that?” 

“I think so. I mean, I try to be a good Driver, but I’m not always sure what that means. Jin said something before I knew what an arse he is, but it stuck with me. A Driver and Blade are one in body and soul. I haven’t figured out what it means, but it seems important. After learning that he’s a Blade it feels even more important. Does that make sense?” He wasn’t completely sure he understood it.

“That’s certainly one way of looking at it. I’m surprised to hear you quoting that man. After what happened, don’t you hate him?” She sounded concerned as she spoke, or perhaps uncertain.

Rex looked down at his feet and clenched his hands at his side. For a moment it was as if he could feel Jin’s sword piercing through him. Feel the despair and pain upon realizing what had happened to Nia. See Jin’s face as he watched over Rex and Mythra’s battle with the other members of Torna. Yet for a moment Rex had been certain he saw a deep sadness in Jin’s eyes.

“No, I don’t think so. I’ve never hated anyone before, not even…”, he shook the errant thought away and focused. “No, I don’t hate him. Knowing what he did to me and to Nia, it makes me furious, but hate?” Rex smiled sadly and looked up again. No, hate wasn’t something he was prepared to do. 

“I see. And if Jin had truly killed Nia? Destroyed her Core Crystal? Removed any chance of there being another Nia brought into the world? What then?” Rex really didn’t understand where Vess was going with this.

“I don’t know. It didn’t happen so...well I guess I’m not the type to think about ‘may haves’. No way I could know how I’d react to something completely unknown. I’m not going to pretend that I know exactly how I’d respond to any given situation.” Still, even the thought made him deeply uncomfortable. 

Vess shook her head, her long hair shifting with the slight motion. “Surprisingly wise words for one so young. You often surprise me Rex. I suppose I should thank Azurda sometime for raising such a good hearted child.”

“Hey now, I’m a working class adult. Thank you very much.” Rex grumbled a little. Maybe once he hit his growth spurt people would stop talking down to him so much. If he hit his growth spurt. No, not if! When! Definitely when! At least back in Leftheria the only ones who treated him like a kid were Gramps and Auntie Corinne.

“Of course Rex, I meant no insult.” She sighed and stopped suddenly, forcing Rex to do so as well. “I suppose I’ll have to be a little more direct. Rex, when I asked about your thoughts on Nia and Mythra I meant something a little different. What do you want from them? Friendship? Family? A physical relationship? Romance? Something else?” 

There was an honesty and intensity to Vess’ words that stunned him. He couldn’t for the life of him figure out why. “You can’t just go and ask people stuff like that, right? It’s a little much.”

“Rex, you might not understand what’s right in front of you, but I’ve been experiencing this world for more than three times as long as you’ve lived. I’ve lived more, seen more, and there are things I recognize that maybe you don’t. Do you trust my word on that?”

“Uh, sure, I guess.” What did any of that even mean?

Her purple eyed gaze met his golden one and he felt momentarily frozen in place. He realized his first instinct at feeling embarrassed had been to look away. “The innate bonds of trust and the resonance of emotions between Driver and Blade can have a heavy impact. So, are those two friends?”

“Of course.” 

“Are they family?”

“That’s the plan.”

“Are you physically attracted to them?”

Rex flinched back like she had slapped him, but he still found he couldn’t look away from her. He recognized that kind of stare. Corrine had used it on him from time to time growing up. “O-of course not. What kind of question is that?” His face felt like it was on fire.

Recognizing that they were getting in the way of people trying to get around, Vess grabbed Rex by the arm and towed him towards an unused bench. There the two of them sat down. Vess turned her attention fully back to him. “I may not be your Blade yet Rex, but I’ll remind you again. Drivers and Blades have an intrinsic bond of trust between them. So trust me and I’ll trust you. The first step to that is honesty. Do you understand?”

He nodded quickly, still feeling thoroughly embarrassed. Did they really have to talk about this? “Yes ma’am.”

“Ma’am?”

“Oh, sorry! It was just...you were kind of reminding me of, well…”, he trailed off, feeling even more embarrassed. She had heard him talk about Auntie Corinne, but if he said she was acting a lot like Corinne how would that make Vess feel?

Vess laughed quietly. “Oh, that. Never you worry. I helped raise two wonderful children, one of whom you’re about to meet. I’m used to reminding people of their mother.”

“Mother? No way, that’d be impossible. Honestly, you kinda reminded me of Auntie Corinne for a second. It was a knee jerk reaction is all.” Hopefully she wasn’t offended.

“I see.” She paused, squinting at him as if searching for something. Then she shrugged and stopped squinting. Rex had no idea if she had found whatever she was looking for. “Your face and your reaction answered my earlier question. So even if you’re too embarrassed to admit it, I know. Of course I could already tell. So, are you romantically interested in them? Is that why you accepted those bets of theirs?”

“Huh? Hang on, what have those bets got to do with romance? It’s just about buying the other person a dinner of their choice.” Vess really said some weird things sometimes. People bought food for each other or made meals for each other all the time. There was nothing intrinsically romantic about that. Right?

Vess raised a hand to her chin and leaned a little closer. “Rex...have you ever been on a date before?”

Now she was asking about dates? “Yeah, just the one though. About a year ago this girl in Argentum, Viviena, asked me on a date. To watch the sunset. It was kinda fun, but I didn’t think much of it. She never brought it up again after that.”

She shifted her hand up and rubbed at the bridge of her nose. “And how frequently did you see her after that?”

“Hmm? A fair bit. She’s a waitress at the canteen at Goldmouth.” Viviena had been his waitress tons of times since their date and she had never asked about another one. So there hadn’t been a spark, which was fine. People got really weird about this kind of thing.

Vess raised her other hand and massaged her temples gently. “Oh...that girl.” She sighed and whispered under her breath, barely audible. “This boy I swear…”

She lowered her hands into her lap and straightened her shoulders. “Rex, dinner dates are one of the most common types. There’s a very real chance those girls planned on either winning and having you take them on a date or, if they lost, taking you on one. That’s very likely the type of bet it was.”

“No way! Why would they do that?” Rex felt his face flushing again. Damned natural response.

“Well, setting that aside, I’m beginning to get a stronger picture about you Rex. I think you’re a little naive about romance.” Rex winced. That was a little too blunt.

He looked away, trying to make his face return to normal. It felt uncomfortably hot. Couldn’t they just go and meet Noelle already? “I mean...it’s not like I have a lot of examples, you know?”

“What do you mean?”

“I dunno, it’s like...how do you learn about that sort of thing anyway? It’s not like there’s people to teach you that stuff. The only examples I’ve really seen are in stories, but I’ve not read many with romance stuff in them.”, he looked down and stared at his lap, intensely wanting to disappear. “It’s always been just me and Gramps. I never really thought about romance or whatever. I guess I just…could we talk about something else?”

He felt Vess set a hand on his shoulder. “That’s fine Rex. I just wanted to make sure none of the three of you would do anything silly. We can talk about this some other time. I think I’ve come to understand a few things a little better.”

Vess stood and motioned for him to follow. “Now, shall we go see Noelle?”

Rex moved to get up, but paused momentarily as a thought crossed his mind. “Say Vess, what about you? Have you, you know, done the romance thing?”

“Mmm, a few times, yes. Believe it or not I actually was romantically involved with Chief Edgar for a few years.” Rex looked up in disbelief, but there were no signs on Vess’ face that she was making a joke.

“Really? I guess I was just expecting…”, he trailed off.

She laughed brightly. “That it was with Mabon? Yes, most people assume that. I suppose we do act like an old married couple after all. But, no, our relationship was never of the type you’re thinking. I love Mabon dearly and I can scarcely imagine a life without him, but Rex, there are many types of love. Do you understand?”

“Of course.” She looked at him with a dubious expression and he squeezed his hands at his side. “Hey come on, don’t give me that look! I totally understand. You can love someone as a friend, or a family member, or all kinds of other ways. I get it, really.”

“If you say so.” Argh, why did she still look so unbelieving? “You know, Mabon and I did consider getting married for a while. In the end we realized it was something that we had only contemplated as a method of giving Noelle and Antis a ‘proper’ mother and father. We decided that doing so would have been more harm than help. Still, I regret none of the life I lived with Mabon. I was, and am, very happy.”

Rex frowned and tilted his head up to gaze at the ‘sky’, which was in truth just the inner section of Uraya’s body. It was a strange sensation to not look up and actually see the sky above. Vess was, in many ways, a mother of two. When Mabon passed away his children would lose a father and they would lose their mother for the second time. That thought made his chest tighten.

People lost their loved ones all the time, but there was something about this that felt so much crueler. If the Architect truly had made Blades, then why had he made their lives so bound to Humans? Rex knew he didn’t understand, but he wanted to. _‘What was it you wanted when you made us all this way?’_

\---------------------

Nia gratefully accepted the proffered bag of coins and tied it to her rope belt. The young couple offered their thanks once again and then departed, leaving her to stand alone on the hillside. It had been an odd day so far.

She and Mythra had each picked a job from the notice board in Fonsa Myma in order to earn some cash. It wouldn’t be fair to bet him a meal, lose, and then make _him_ pay for it. Mythra had taken a job suppressing a gang in the lower district of Fonsa Myma while Nia had acted as an escort for a couple as they went to collect some sort of mushroom. 

Now that the job was done she found herself able to appreciate the beauty that Uraya had to offer. The colors were stunningly vibrant in a way she hadn’t been expecting. Almost everything around her seemed ephemeral. 

Nia briefly considered exploring for a while, but decided it would be better to save that for when everyone else was free. Not that the countryside would grow any less beautiful, but it would be nice to share it with the others the first time around. 

Letting out a yawn she stretched her arms up above her head and then leaned from side to side. It felt pleasant pulling her muscles taut like that. She turned and started back up in the direction of Fonsa Myma. There wasn’t a lot of traffic coming from this direction, which might have something to do with the supposedly dangerous monsters Nia had been hired as protection against. Not that any of those had showed up. Still, easy money wasn’t such a bad thing.

Several minutes into her walk her ears picked up the sounds of two pairs of Humanoid feet pattering along the grass at a quick pace. She looked over her shoulder and saw a Driver with a Megalance strapped to his back, a Common Blade just a few steps behind him. The Driver looked like an Ardanian at a glance so Nia drew in ether from her surroundings and prepared to summon her sword just in case of trouble.

The Driver and his Blade passed her by without comment, so Nia let herself relax. There hadn’t been any bounty posters of them put up in Fonsa Myma, but that didn’t mean exercising caution was a bad idea.

Nia’s ears twitched as the Driver stopped without warning and turned back to face her. She went on guard immediately, stretching her hand out to the side. The man approached at a leisurely clip, his posture neutral and his face non-threatening. “Oi, you’re that fox-eared Blade from Gormott! From the diner!”

His Blade tilted his head to the side and planted his fists on his hips, appearing confused. “Are you sure that’s her, Yew?”

He grinned and nudged his Blade in the stomach with his elbow. “Course I’m sure. Say, do you remember me? I’m embarrassed to admit I don’t recall your name, but I do recognize that face and those ears.”

The Driver stopped a fair distance away, his Blade at his side. Nia let her hand relax again, but didn’t release the ether she had gathered. Either his Blade wasn’t sensitive enough to detect it or he was understanding of her nervousness. “Sorry fella, I was only Awakened recently. If you met me before, well...I’m sure you understand.”

The Driver, Yew, nodded solemnly. “Aye, real shame. That Driver of yours seemed like a good kid. Told off some drunken idiots in your defense. I hope your new Driver treats you just as well.”

Her old Driver had defended her from some drunks, eh? “He does well enough so far.”

Yew offered a friendly smile and a slight bow. “Good to hear. Take care of yourself. And hey, I might not have met this version of you, but I still owe you and your Driver for the awful way my men behaved back then. So I’ll pass on the same invitation that I gave back then. If you ever need any work or just a quick free meal, come by Garfont Village sometime. See ya!”

He waved and turned heel, heading up the hill. As they moved away Nia could hear his Blade talking to him. “Did you really offer them free food last time?”

“I remembered the basics of it, didn’t I? Either way, I offered free food this time so that’s all that matters. Now come on, we need to meet up with Zuo and get things ready for the boss.” Shortly after they were out of even her earshot. 

Nia let them get out of sight before continuing her leisurely jaunt back to Fonsa Myma. It felt odd to be sort of recognized, but it was probably par for the course for any Blade. Come to think of it, it wasn’t like she had any way of knowing if he had been referring to her previous Driver or one before that. It sounded like it hadn’t been too terribly long ago, but it wasn’t as if she knew how long her last Driver had been her Driver.

All that confusion was part of why Nia didn’t like thinking about it. What was done was done after all. No matter what the past held she could only be the Nia she knew how to be. What her previous incarnations had done or experienced was dust. It didn’t matter.

Only it did.

Nia shook that lingering thought away and kept climbing. At times like this she was glad for being a Blade. She had only been alive for a short time, but she had just come into existence in good enough shape that an uphill hike like this didn’t even phase her. 

This time the footfalls she heard were heavy, like an Ardun tromping around. When she looked over her shoulder to see who or what was coming up from behind she almost stumbled. The man coming up the hill behind her was enormous. A dark skinned boulder of a Urayan who seemed to be wearing _all_ the pouches across his chest. He had a silver pompadour and a wavy mane of hair down his shoulders. 

She moved to the side to let him pass, once again preparing herself for a fight just in case. Those hand scythes strapped behind his back were definitely Blade weapons, although she saw no sign of his Blade. Cautiously she nodded to him, hoping he would keep going, but instead, like the Driver from earlier, he stopped. _‘Am I a roadside exhibit or something?’_

“Well, ain’t that a familiar face!” His voice was deep, energetic, and it boomed enthusiastically outward. “Name’s Vandham. I did a job for you and your Driver around a decade ago. Ring a bell?”

Two in one day? But this time it was from ten years ago? What were the chances that both men had met the same Driver. Not likely. Unless Rex was into much older women. _‘Wait, is he?’_

“I can say without a shadow of a doubt that it wasn’t me you met. I was only Awakened a short while back.” Ugh, now she felt like she was having a conversation on repeat. What was this day becoming? And hang on, did that mean she had lived in Uraya once upon a time? Would she run into other people who knew her old selves? 

“Aye, that’s the way of it with Blades, isn’t it? No matter how many Titans or Drivers die, Blades will keep living through it all. Still, as long as there’s people who remember you, it ain’t all that bad, is it? And I always remember the folks who bully me into doing something.” He let out a deep belly laugh.

“Bully you? I wasn’t some kind of haughty princess-type, was I?” The thought made Nia cringe. 

“Nah, nothing like that.” He pointed at the x-shaped scar across his face. “You bullied me into letting you heal this. Woulda been much worse if you hadn’t made me do it. Now? Now it looks real threatening. So it all worked out in the end, right?” He thundered out another laugh.

“Uh, sure. I suppose so.” What an odd man.

He thumped a fist to his chest. “If you ever feel like gabbing over a beer, come on down to Garfont Village. Till then, take care of yourself ya big bully.” Vandham jogged off, oddly pausing to peer up at the sky like he was looking for something. 

Nia stood there and scratched her chin for a minute in thought. It was really shaping up to be the oddest day.

_‘Hang on, didn’t both of them say Garfont? Honestly, what’s even going on here in Uraya. Did I know the Queen too?’_

\-----------------------

Queen Raqura leaned back in her throne and gazed imperiously at the messenger kneeling before her. Her most trusted advisors were at her sides, listening in. “So, you’re certain it’s her?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Although she was hiding her core, her features and her traveling companions assuredly mark her as the Aegis. Without a doubt.” He knelt even deeper. She gestured with a single motion of her hand and he backed out of the room, leaving her alone with her advisors. 

Raqura tapped her fingers on the side of her throne and cast a quick glance at Thesol, her military advisor. “Well, what say you?”

“I suggest we keep eyes on her and her traveling companions, but otherwise make no movements against her. I’d also suggest reducing the number of our soldiers in Fonsa Myma. Based on her activities in Gormott it seems unlikely she has any intentions against a civilian populace. At the moment. I believe we stand the greatest chance of avoiding a disaster in the middle of our streets if we keep her away from our troops.”

A measured response. One she had expected from the cautious Thesol. His steady approach to handling threats to national security were part of why tensions with Mor Ardain had yet to break out into any form of combat. “What are the chances that we might use her poor relationship with Mor Ardain as a deterrent against further activity on their part?”

Thesol seemed to hesitate, but Raqura knew from experience he was merely giving the air of contemplation. He was the type who would have already anticipated her question. Especially after so many years in her service. “A last resort. Although records of the Aegis War are quite limited, there is little doubt that while the Aegis can be a deadly weapon, she is a weapon that will jump in one's hands. And while a slip of a dagger might draw blood, if the Aegis slips in our hands…”, he left the thought hanging in the air. 

Raqura looked to her political advisor Gennet, an aging Urayan man who even seemed to be growing wrinkles on his scales. “In this matter I am in agreement with Thesol. The Aegis could be an exceptional political asset, but I believe she should be an asset of last resort. Better to let her pass through. If that just so happens to keep her conflict going with Mor Ardain, well…”, he too left the thought hanging.

Queen Raqura nodded resolutely. That was roughly what she had been expecting. “Very well. Assign covert operatives to keep watch and withdraw all non-critical troops from the interior of Fonsa Myma. I’d like the two of you to find any unassigned out of country missions to our resident mercenaries. I want as few of those ruffians around as possible. No need to have those drunken fools pick a fight or try to claim the Aegis as their own.”

There was something else that would be of use in this scenario. “Thesol, send Lady Perun to see me. I want to advise her of the situation in case her assistance becomes necessary.”

Her two advisors bowed in acknowledgement of her words and departed. Several minutes later Lady Perun entered the room and knelt before the throne. “Your Majesty, at your command I have come.”

In her form fitting black and white robe, tied neatly at the waist with a slim belt, her long white hair flowing freely down her back, Lady Perun appeared almost entirely Human. The robe covered her Core Crystal and she kept the ends of her hair, which held a faint blue glow at most times, dyed to match the rest of her hair. Perhaps the only real indication of her race was her nearly impossible figure. “Lady Perun, did Thesol inform you of the current situation?”

“Of course Your Majesty. We are to avoid contact with the Aegis.” With a gesture from Raqura the Lady Perun arose and took a semi-relaxed stance, her hands clasped behind her back. 

“That’s correct, but I want you to observe her from a distance. If you have the opportunity to innocuously interact with her or her Driver I would like for you to do so, but keep your nature hidden. I trust your judgement of a person’s character more than anyone else. I would like to know your opinion of them. If it’s impossible, then simply observe.”

Perun inclined her head in understanding. “Yes, Your Majesty. As you command.”

The Blade bid her farewell and exited, leaving Raqura alone. The Aegis’ presence on Alrest was a foreboding omen, but her arrival in Fonsa Myma was like a sword dangling above Raqura’s head. One slip and…

Hopefully their precautions would be enough. If the Lady Perun came to her with a report that the Aegis and her Driver could be trusted then Raqura would send official delegates. If they could not be trusted, then all Raqura could do was pray to the Architect. 

Hopefully Lady Perun could accomplish the mission. The Blade had many decades of experience passing as a Human, so it shouldn’t be too difficult for her. Yes, Lady Perun’s presence and skills were worth the exorbitant amount that the Overdrive Protocols cost. Even if those items were a mere distraction to keep Indol from the truth. They were accumulating dust, awaiting a moment of emergency or the discovery of an exceptional Blade. 

After all, the Lady Perun had no need of an Overdrive Protocol. 

\------------------

Poppi dragged the last of the Pirahnhax onto the shore and tossed it into the net they had prepared. Then she carefully tied it off and prepared it so that it could be hauled back into town. Now they had proof that the job was done. And even better, they would have tasty fish to eat! 

“Poppi is the greatest!” He stretched out one of his wings and she bopped her open palm into the flat inner part of his wing. 

“Masterpon and Poppi make great team. Does Masterpon think this enough for everyone?” She gazed back innocently at the vicious fish in the net behind her.

“Hmmm...oh yes. Everyone. Yes. Mehmeh…”, of course Tora had always intended to share. Certainly he couldn’t eat all of those himself. Most definitely not. Absolutely no way. But maybe...no no, Poppi was right. Best to share.

“Well well, if it isn’t little Tora. My furry friend, how are you?” Tora turned and looked up toward the sound of a voice he faintly recognized. There, standing at the edge of the hill above them, was a familiar figure. The very Blade who had helped him get the last parts for Poppi.

Tora was so excited. Maybe he could introduce this friend to his new ones. Tora was making so many friends as a Driver!

\-----------------

Rex stretched his arms over his head, feeling immensely relaxed. His body was light and free of any aches or soreness. The soft bed and a good night’s sleep had done wonders. It was so nice to sleep comfortably and wake up to the Sun shining down on him and the birds chirping and…

He jolted to his feet and looked around, startled. Grass stretched out around him, woods behind and the hill leading up to the lone tree up ahead. This was the dream of Elysium again. It was strange though. Before this it had always felt more easily discernible from wakefulness. This was more like...the first time. 

Cautiously he took a peek at his chest. There were no signs of any additional wounds and the x-shaped core was still in its proper place. Heh. What an odd idea that was. It felt like a natural part of his body at this point. 

The last few times he had been here there had been someone lingering on that hill, seemingly just beyond his ability to see them. Would they be there again? Could he get closer this time? Actually see who it was? Instinctively he knew that the person by the tree, their identity was important.

His feet took him up the hill without hesitation. Once he grew closer he began to be able to make out that shape, but it was more distinct this time. His eyes still wanted to slide away, but it was easier to focus. “Please...I want to know who you are. Let me see you.”

Even in his own mind he couldn’t say what had made him speak up. The words had simply happened. They were true though. 

Moments later he stood atop the hill, standing directly in front of the person by the tree. Looking at them was like looking into a bright clear sky. Beautiful, but painful. Like the gleaming light of the Sun that prevented him from truly seeing it. “Who are you? Do I know you?”

He felt something then, a strange sensation like a breeze across his skin, but it was as if it touched him inside. Rex spun around, looking for the source, but saw nothing. Yet it felt as if he could almost see someone else or feel other eyes watching him. A second person? More? Or was it the same trick that kept him from seeing the one by the tree?

Turning back to that mysterious person he opened his mouth to speak, but was stopped by a warm touch brushing across the skin of his cheek. There was nothing there. “I don’t understand what’s happened. This is...the Elysium from Mythra’s memory, isn’t it? How did I get here?”

A voice spoke to him, familiar, yet strange and ephemeral. A distant whisper, like an echo from a far off mountaintop. _“Rex, you have to wake up Rex. You must wake up. Please. I’m so sorry, but you can’t stay.”_

An invisible force moved him, forcing him backwards down the hill. He tumbled and…

Awakened to pitch black. There was no soft encompassing sensation beneath him of a comfortable mattress or the sleek cool texture of a sheet atop his bare chest. There was a foreign object, a mask or cloth, wrapped tightly around his head, blocking his sight. Ropes tightly bound his wrists together, his arms behind his back, and another set of ropes was wound tightly around his ankles. 

His body felt woozy, his muscles watery. If he moved too much he was certain he would grow nauseous. He had experienced hangovers before and while this was similar, it wasn’t the same. Between the bonds and how he felt physically there was one obvious answer. _‘I was drugged. Drugged and taken captive. By who?’_

There were sounds nearby, people talking, a motor running, the faint sound of clouds lapping up against plastic and metal. A boat. Sailing across the Cloud Sea. How many people were there? Three, maybe four voices that he could make out, but there were sounds of feet on metal and more movement from his other side. Six or so. With the ambient noise of the boat’s motor he probably wouldn’t be able to figure out more.

Dread turned his veins to ice. If he were to die...Mythra would die and so would Nia. 

_‘Don’t be stupid, don’t panic. If they were going to kill me, why would they have bothered to drug and kidnap me?’_

Even though his body was sluggish, his mind felt fully alert. There was an obvious, albeit painful answer. Why would someone kidnap him? To get to Mythra. They were going to use him to capture Mythra.

_‘If it was Jin and those other Torna bastards they’d have picked a fight. Going for the stealthy route means they aren’t confident they can fight Mythra so...Mor Ardain maybe?’_

Had Ardanian troops snuck into Fonsa Myma? Wouldn’t that be considered an act of war? But how had these people found him and the others? Would Ardanian soldiers have been this sneaky? From the way that Empress lady had talked it sounded like they wanted to overwhelm him and Mythra, almost as if to prove a point. Like saying, yeah, we can beat the Aegis, we’re strong after all. 

Ugh, it was pointless to think about it. It didn’t really matter who had taken him. It could be anyone. There were bounties on their heads after all. It had been stupid to assume they were safe just because they had reached Uraya. Mor Ardain might not want to start a war with Uraya just yet, but mercenaries and bounty hunters were unaffiliated. 

They hadn’t gagged him, which seemed strange. Or maybe they had and then removed the gag once they were away from Uraya? 

A stray thought caught his attention. They had drugged him. He and Mythra were sharing their lifeforce. That was what Mythra and Nia had said. Injuries he took were felt by Mythra and if he died so did she...but what about the drug they had used? Had they accidentally drugged Mythra as well? Would a drug that worked on a Human affect a Blade? 

If it had, she would have recovered first. She was still able to regenerate even though it was much slower than it would normally be, so that probably applied to poisons in the body as well. Nia had been able to casually recover from drinking too much, so the same was probably true here.

How long had it all taken? What time was it? The drug’s effect on him made it hard to tell if he was still tired from not having gotten a full night’s sleep or if it was merely the foreign substance in his body. There was no sun beating down on him, but it could be cloudy or there might be a ceiling above him. 

Rex tried to stop thinking too much. He needed to focus on his surroundings. Get the cloth off his eyes, then search for the right moment to try to make an escape. If he could get free of the ropes he was confident he could evade just about anyone in the water. He could use the Cloud Sea to his advantage to hide and make his way back to Uraya. If he could figure out what direction that was. If it was even possible to enter Uraya while swimming. Without being eaten anyway.

He moved his head closer to his shoulder so that he could try and work the blindfold off by rubbing it against his shoulder. 

“Hey, the kid is~”

The entire boat rocked as something hit it hard. There was an odd sensation in the surrounding air as if the warmth was momentarily sucked away and then there was a vicious tearing sound. Voices that had been speaking casually before erupted into screams and shouts.

“We’re under attack!”

“Is it the Aegis?”

“Shit shit shit.”

“There’s another boat!”

“Attack you idiots! Open fire!”

The cracks of gunfire rang in Rex’s ears. There was another roaring sound and that same feeling of warmth being drained away. One of the men gurgled and Rex heard something hit the metal floor.

Desperately Rex rubbed his face against his shoulder, the motion starting to push away the groggy feeling in his body. Then, after several grueling seconds, the blindfold came away. 

He lay on a metal floor with an overhang above him, the boat seemed to be fairly small. On either side of him Gormotti and Ardanian men were opening fire on something Rex couldn’t see. The boat they had mentioned.

A lance of black and purple energy pierced through the prow of their boat, shaking the entire thing. A quick look around showed Rex that there were two dead men on the ground, holes in their bodies. The only lights he could see were from the boat itself. It was still nighttime. 

Taking advantage of the distraction Rex hopped to his feet and then jumped, tucking his knees up into his chest so he could swing his arms under them, bringing them out in front of his body. One of his kidnappers seemed to realize he was awake, but Rex had the element of surprise.

Although his center of gravity felt off, Rex pushed ahead, grabbing onto the overhang above him and striking the closest kidnapper in the face with his bare feet. The man thumped to the deck and, before the others could respond, another bolt of powerful energy ripped a hole in the stern. Flames began to creep up from the damage portion. 

Rex released the overhang and dropped down, landing next to the man he had kicked. With his hands still bound Rex fumbled at the man’s waist, but managed to draw the shortsword that was sheathed there. 

With weapon at hand he sawed apart the rope binding his wrists and then carefully slashed open the ones on his ankles. He knew what he needed to do next so he wasted no time. Dropping the shortsword he jumped overboard, plunging into the Cloud Sea. Having a weapon would have been nice, but swimming would have been much harder with that in hand.

Rex had only gotten about ten meters from the boat when a powerful wave of energy erupted out of the night and slashed across the deck of the boat. A far more powerful attack than the ones from before, which had been precise and deadly. This was raw and indiscriminate. 

Behind him the boat of his kidnappers erupted into flame and began to sink beneath the clouds. It seemed very unlikely anyone had survived that last attack. 

Just as he was trying to get his bearings a buoy attached to a rope plopped into the clouds next to him. Out of the night appeared a sleek white ship, like a long needle with a texture similar to Gramps’ armored body. “I promise I mean you no harm,” called out a woman’s voice.

_‘Am I saved or just moving from one cauldron to another?’_

Still, the person or people on the boat had been able to snipe distant targets even under cover of darkness. His chances of escaping while his body still wasn’t at full strength were slim.

Reluctantly he grabbed hold of the buoy and let himself be hauled toward that white ship. A rope ladder was lowered down to him and he climbed up onto the deck where the ship’s occupant awaited. 

The first thing that struck Rex was the intricate black eyepatch over her left eye. The second thing was the Core Crystal just below her neck, shaped like a four-petaled flower. _‘A...Blade?’_

“Welcome onboard cutie pie.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This marks the end of Chapter Four. Next we begin Chapter Five. I might actually go through and edit it so the appropriate chapters indicate the Chapter change. Not sure it matters, but I've been thinking about doing it.


	27. Their History (Chapter Five: Reflections)

4006

Vess was Awakened into a Gormott bracing for war. Skirmishes and raids had been breaking out after several years of silence, and at long last the signs were there that one of the great powers, either Mor Ardain or Uraya, was responsible for a force aimed at fully conquering Gormott. As a result the government of Gormott was desperately seeking potential Drivers to Awaken their reserves of Core Crystals. Such as Vess.

Her Driver, Reinald, had inherited her core from his grandfather. Reinald’s grandfather passed away while his grandson was still a toddler and as such he remembered little of the previous Vess. No one else in the family had been able to muster up the courage to attempt to resonate, but they were unwilling to sell her core either.

However, as their funds began to run out and a military force engaged in blockading tactics against Gormott, times began to grow desperate. The government offered large one time payments for the purchase of a Core Crystal, but exceptional wages for Drivers. Desperate and foolish, Reinald had resonated with her core.

“I don’t know if I did it because the money for a Driver would better support my family or if I just didn’t want to give up the core my grandfather had cherished. I’m sorry, I bet you were hoping for something more awe inspiring.”

That was what Reinald had told her. He was an honest man, and she found she respected his willingness to put his life on the line to care for his family. His wife was sweet and their three children were adorable little scamps that Vess found herself wanting to pamper. Reinald’s mother, his only living parent, stayed with them. She had known Vess in her prior incarnation.

Eliata spoke highly of her father and her son. She always had a kind word for Vess. In public. In private the woman was hateful and prodded at her with barely veiled insults. 

“You’re the reason mother left. How could any mortal woman compete against an ageless Blade? Disgraceful.”

“No matter how much you play house, you’ll never be a real mother you know. Oh dear, does that bother you?”

“If I get even an inkling of you trying to seduce my son...well just remember that I know where you sleep.”

Hateful woman. The rest of the family was so delightful, but it was difficult to escape Eliata’s withering glares. It almost made Vess grateful when they were called upon to begin combat training. 

Still, despite all Eliata’s flaws, the woman made a positively flawless dumpling. 

Vess’ eagerness for combat training as a means of escaping Elaita lasted only until the first battle she and Reinald were thrust into. More of a skirmish, but the bloody reality of it shook both of them. Most of the recruits were left dazed after the raw violence of the battle.

In rapid succession their enemy, clearly evident as the Empire of Mor Ardain, assaulted key staging zones across Gormott’s body. The massive shipyard that had long marked the site of the third largest town in Gormott was captured and destroyed. Mor Ardain didn’t want them reinforcing their navy. Refugees flooded into White Chair and Torigoth, ballooning their populations and further straining both cities already taxed resources. 

Sometimes Vess was called on to treat the wounds of some of the stragglers and refugees. Despite the sad faces and somber atmosphere she was more at ease in those moments than on the battlefield. Whenever she and Reinald treated a child both of them found themselves under a heavy cloud of sorrow. There was little they could do.

In response to the destruction of their only major shipyard the government of Gormott reached out to broker a truce. As more attacks came their government grew more and more desperate. Attempts to Awaken more Core Crystals increased as signing bonuses for Drivers were ramped up.

Then Mor Ardain launched their first real attack into the inner areas of Gormott. Vess hadn’t realized how many soldiers Mor Ardain had until then. The assembled forces of Gormott, padded by their numerous new Drivers and Blades, won the day. Yet more battles followed.

After the third she found Reinald crying in his tent, clutching a small cloth doll one of his daughters had made. “My Da died when I was young. I...I don’t want to leave my girls without their father. Should we run? We should run. Right?”

She had wrapped her arms around him and comforted him, whispering soothing nothings until he fell asleep. None of those whispers was a real answer. Where would they run? Still, Vess understood what her job was for this invasion. It wasn’t to win the war. It was to make sure that she and Reinald got to live to take care of his children.

“Once this is all over we’ll go back and be happy,” she said. She even believed it. After the fourth battle Vess found herself even longing to see Eliata again. It would be a truly delightful experience to learn that hateful woman’s dumpling recipe and take over cooking duties.

Following the fifth battle the Gormotti forces became more properly organized. Vess and Reinald were assigned to a tactical unit of Drivers and Blades. Patroka, Theory, Akatsuki, Nia, and her. Five Blades and their Drivers.

Her relationship with Reinald began to change. Some of the Gormotti commanders discouraged what they called ‘excessive fraternization’ between Blades and the Gormotti themselves. Separate camp areas were established for the Drivers, the Blades, and the regular soldiers. Even during meals the Drivers remained separate. 

She started to only see Reinald during training or battles. His face grew hardened and his tone more distant. The other Blades merely shook their heads and moved on. Vess was the only one of them who had been Awakened for long enough to establish a relationship and a rapport with her Driver after all. 

“It is for the best that different branches of the military do not fraternize too heavily. We are soldiers after all,” said Akatsuki. He always seemed to view the decisions of the government in the best light of them all. He was the first to fall in battle.

“Whatever comes we just need to face it as a team. That’s how we’ll get through this.” Their leader, Patroka, was a solidly determined woman who kept them working together as a team. There were moments when Vess thought she saw the woman’s eyes grow gleeful during times of intense violence, but off the battlefield she was kind, albeit someone who didn’t understand a good pun. She was the second to fall.

“There’s no point worrying about what they get up to. We just need to rely on each other.” Although her voice was often cold, Vess admitted that Theory could sometimes be wise. Even though Vess herself didn’t always agree with Theory’s wisdom. Often it seemed like there was a part of Theory that was missing. Like she was incomplete. She was the third.

“They’re just Humans. What does it matter what they do? I don’t care what happens to them.” As the war continued Nia became more despondent. She denied caring about the wellbeing of the Humans, but Vess had seen the light and joy in Nia’s eyes the few times the woman had the opportunity to heal injured civilians. Nia was soon the only one besides herself remaining from the original team. 

More Blades and Drivers came and went. Some meshed well with their dynamic, but others were quickly transferred away. Nia’s demeanor had deteriorated and though she was more effective than ever on the battlefield there were whispers that some of the things she said and the book she carried with her were seditious.

Vess tried to read the book in its true form one night, under the glow of her own ether infused Bitball. The words in that book were like a curse. Portions were aflame with wild passionate rhetoric and others cold hateful logic. Fire and despair. She couldn’t make it all the way through.

Parts of the book even felt right to her. After all, weren’t they being used as weapons in a war with no end in sight? Slaves to the malice of Humans. Hateful and cowardly, lashing out at Blades because they were unable to confront their own shortcomings. Like Eliata.

But her mind turned to Reinald and the rest of his family. His wonderful children playing, laughing, and awaiting the safe return of their father from war. Wasn’t that the purest example of the flame of life the book’s author claimed Humans wasted? It was a flame of life that Blades could never grasp. All they could do was nurture it. Protect it from the wind and the rain. Let it grow.

Vess tried to put her feelings into words for Nia, but she couldn’t quite manage to express herself in a way that felt satisfying. The flame of life could be a wonderful thing. All they had to do was…

And when she found herself engulfed in the searing pain of blue flames encircling her body, as she watched in terror as Reinald was burned to the bone by that same flame, Vess couldn’t remember a thing about any beautiful flame of life.

Sophistry was something for the winners to contemplate. All that was left for the rest of them was...ash.

\-------------------------------

Vess’ Driver was a young boy named Mabon, just recently thirteen, and he was a precocious fellow. He showed an interest in anything new and seemed to ache for the opportunity to leave Torigoth behind. Vess couldn’t blame him for that. Times were tense in the port city and new capital of the Imperial Province of Gormott.

Apparently just a few years before her Awakening, the Empire of Mor Ardain had conquered and annexed Gormott. The former capital of White Chair had been destroyed and tens of thousands of Gormotti had been left homeless or dead. Some of the displaced had drifted to Torigoth, but many refugees had been taken in by the Indoline Praetorium. 

Mabon and his father, a doddering man who suffered from battle shock following the war, were looked down upon by the Gormotti. Although Mabon was Ardainian by descent, he had grown up in Gormott. Vess suspected that it was her presence and the Ardainian soldiers occupying Torigoth that kept some of the residents from seeking reprisal against Mabon and his father.

There was one other reason no one harassed Mabon. A silent guardian who watched over them from a distance. A Blade with tall fox-like ears who Vess often spotted lingering just far enough away to observe them without engaging in conversation. The first time Vess had tried to approach the woman she had retreated into the crowd. 

At first Vess thought the woman was as resentful as some of the Gormotti. She kept on guard, worried about her Driver’s safety. The young Mabon wasn’t the most observant boy and he was often distracted trying to care for his father, who was prone to frequent bouts of sudden manic activity or just as likely empty inactivity. Vess’ own attempts to treat the man had failed. Whatever was wrong with him either her healing wasn’t effective enough, she lacked the knowledge to properly treat him, or the disorder was purely of the mind. 

It was difficult to keep watch for the fox-eared Blade while also caring for Mabon and his father. Sometimes Vess would feel herself being watched from a distance and that Blade was always the cause. It put her on edge. 

To put herself at ease she made rounds to some of the other locals, offering her healing services. The refugees were too suspicious to accept healing or care for free, so they offered her what little they could. Vess accepted only practical lessons. Cooking, cleaning, sewing, and all manner of other things. Some of the local residents of Torigoth were grateful for her aid and some flatly refused to take her treatment. There were times when she saw recognition in the eyes of those people. Especially residents who had formerly been part of the Gormotti military. 

She had been a soldier of some kind in the war. That was clear enough. Mabon hadn’t known her old Driver. Vess suspected the fox-eared Blade watched her suspiciously due to Vess’ role in the war. Had she been a captured Ardainian Blade perhaps?

Not wanting to worry her young Driver, Mabon asked some of the refugees she took cooking lessons from. “Do you recognize the fox-eared Blade?”

They had seen the Blade around, but none of them knew her name or anything about her. The only thing they were able to tell Vess was that almost every single Blade in Torigoth was either a Blade who had been in the war or was the newest incarnation of a Blade who had been in the war.

So Vess asked a butcher who had lived in Torigoth his whole life. The shopkeepers were friendly enough to her as long as she had money to spend. Mabon’s father had received monetary compensation and a pension following the war so they had enough to get by. The butcher recognized Vess’ description of the Blade that had been watching her.

“Her? Course I know her. She’s the Crimson Bellflower. One of the last surviving Blades from the war. They say she’s crazy, but harmless enough. Her Driver shops here actually. Been a while though. Sickly fella and all that.”

Vess asked around further and heard much the same. The Crimson Bellflower was fearsome on the battlefield, but she was broken inside. Nobody seemed to remember exactly how the nickname had come about or what the Blade’s actual name was. They told her she’d have to talk to the noble houses to find out more, but that wasn’t really an option.

Some of the occupying Ardainian soldiers had heard the name Crimson Bellflower, but none she asked had any idea what the Blade in question even looked like. Even so, one of them suggested she put in a request for the Blade records from the Regent. The Ardainian provisional government, headed by the Regent, was in charge of the day to day operations of Gormott until a proper local government could be established. Apparently there were ongoing disagreements as to how to divide duties between the remaining noble houses, the Chief of Gormott, and Ardainian representatives.

So Vess cooked a meal for Mabon and his father so they’d be fine without her for the day. Whenever she couldn’t decide what to make she always defaulted to dumplings. “I’ll be gone for most of the day. Don’t worry, I’ll be back by this evening.”

“More lessons? You’re already great at all that housework stuff.” Mabon pouted at her like he was years younger than his actual age. Around the other local kids he acted tough, but he seemed to enjoy being pampered.

Diarmad, Mabon’s father, smacked his son on the back of his head and scowled. “Don’t sass your mother boy! Let her do as she wishes.”

Mabon’s face fell. “Da, you…”

Vess reached out and laid a gentle hand on Mabon’s shoulder. “It’s alright Mabon. Thank you Diarmad. I’ll see you both tonight.”

It was always difficult for them both when Diarmad had one of his episodes. There were times when he would behave otherwise normally, but would be unable to tell who was who. Frequently he thought Vess was his deceased wife Fionn or that Mabon was his Uncle Dainaidh. Still, despite the confusion these episodes were when Diarmad was at his easiest to handle. Despite the emotional discomfort of being referred to as a dead woman, Vess actually felt a little better about leaving the two of them alone for the day.

Vess made her way through town, keeping a careful eye out for the fox-eared Blade, and trekked past the farms to where a combined group of Ardainians and Gormotti were in the process of constructing a military base. There were a number of temporary structures in place to house some of the soldiers, especially the higher ranked ones. Most of the low ranked soldiers had to settle for large group use tents.

Upon her approach she was met by several soldiers, guns in hand. Unsurprising. While the war had been over for a few years, there were still occasionally attacks by locals as well as sabotage attempts. An unknown Blade walking towards their outpost would seem suspicious.

“What do you want?,” asked the lead soldier.

“I was hoping to put in a request with the Regent for the local Blade records that have been gathered. I’d like to track down some history about myself as well as see if I can learn the whereabouts of another Blade.” 

The soldier shook his head. “Lord Eandraig has his Torigoth residence in the Chief’s Villa. If you want those records you’ll have to put in the request there. They’re supposed to be public record, but there aren’t enough copies available yet for any to leave the premises. Now go on, off with you.”

Vess took her leave and headed back into Torigoth. Despite what the soldier had said, Vess was fairly certain the Ardainian provisional government just didn’t trust the locals enough to let Blade records out of sight. Some of the refugees claimed the Ardainians had ‘misplaced’ a number of Core Crystals that were supposed to have been sent to Indol for redistribution. Vess didn’t know if there was truth to that or if it was normal disgruntled talk by an occupied people.

Upon her arrival at the Villa she was escorted in by a pair of armed Gormotti men with thick beards. They asked her what her purpose for visiting was and then told her to wait in the sitting room. She was led into a side room where, as suggested, she took a seat and began to wait.

In very little time at all the doors opened and a very strange woman floated in. Not walked. Floated. A Blade with incredibly long blonde hair lounged in a floating bathtub, one of her dainty pale legs draped over the side. The woman’s blue eyes looked Vess up and down with clear interest. “So, we were told that a female Blade had arrived seeking an audience with the Regent. It appears we were informed correctly.”

Vess stood and offered a slight inclination of her head to the other Blade. “Thank you for coming to see me. My name is Vess. That’s correct, I’d like to put in a request to the Regent so that I might access the Blade records.”

The Blade in the bathtub caressed a hand across her own cheek in what was probably supposed to be a sensual way and smiled at Vess in a way that made her quite uncomfortable. “Ah, so it is a request of merit. Tell us, do you harbor any ill will against the Regent, any representatives of Mor Ardain, or Chief Iver?”

“Of course not. I just want to find out more about my past self and see if I can learn more about another Blade. If I’m able to.” 

The woman floated closer. “We understand that desire. We lost several excellent existing and potential members of our hare~, ehem, _entourage_ during the war. Had the surrender not come when it did, there was the potential that we might have lost our life and been forced to become the Driver of someone of less noble persuasion. Such would have been dreadful. Thankfully I remain where I should be, at Chief Iver’s side. His wife is quite...delightful.”

Vess smiled awkwardly. _‘She was definitely going to say harem. I had no idea the Chief’s Blade was so...eccentric.’_

Chief Iver’s Blade waved a hand dramatically through the air. “Never fear. We shall pass along your presence to the Regent and his magnificent Blade. I suspect they’ll grant you an audience. That wonderful woman likes to meet any local Blades she can.”

Without another word the blonde floated out of the room in her bathtub, leaving Vess to wait again. After ten minutes a petite Gormotti woman with short grey hair came in to lead her to a formal meeting room. The door was opened for her and she went in and found herself across the room from two very surprising people.

The first and most prominent was the woman, the Blade, standing at the right side of the Regent. A stunning tall woman with a vivacious figure, garbed in a tight purple dress with hair that seemed to be actively on fire. She radiated poise and power. Vess recognized the woman by her description alone, as well as her status as the Regent’s Blade. Brighid, the Jewel of Mor Ardain. Most powerful Blade in the Empire.

The second was her Driver, the acting Regent of the Province of Gormott and nephew to the Emperor. Lord Eandraig Ladair. Clad in a regal freshly pressed white military uniform with fur at the collar and a brilliant red and gold cape, the Regent was simultaneously everything she had expected and none of it. He exuded an energy that spoke to his command. This was a person who knew he was in charge and expected people to respond to him. On the other hand he was...a child. Perhaps slightly younger than Mabon. Maybe eleven or twelve years old.

Lord Eandraig looked up at his Blade. “So, is this her?”

“No, I’m afraid not.” Both of them seemed disappointed. Vess felt distinctly out of the loop.

Brighid, or perhaps Vess should think of her as Lady Brighid given the woman’s position, observed Vess carefully. “Hmmm, no, you don’t look familiar to me at all. Nevertheless, you’re a pretty one aren’t you? Did Sheba give you a hard time?”

“Sheba?” Vess suspected she knew who Lady Brighid was speaking of.

“Chief Iver’s Blade. That woman can be quite overbearing when she encounters a woman she finds even remotely attractive. I apologize if she gave you any trouble. She keeps trying to coerce me into joining her…,” she glanced surreptitiously at her Driver, “entourage.”

Lord Eandraig clapped his hands together. “Shall we continue this meeting? I was told you wanted to access the Blade records. I have no complaints, although I must inform you that as you are a Blade you will be accompanied by Brighid while in the presence of those documents. For security reasons. I’m sure you understand.”

“Of course Lord Eandraig.” Vess had been slightly worried that her request would be rejected because she had come without her Driver. The Ardainians could be quite odd about that sort of thing. The Gormotti seemed to expect Blades to be out and about on their own, but the Ardainians seemed to find it bizarre that Gormotti Drivers and Blades were ever apart from each other.

Lady Brighid leaned down and whispered something into her Driver’s ear. He nodded slightly and began to speak. “I would also appreciate it if you pass along to your Driver and anyone among the nobility that he or she represents that Core Crystal redistribution will not begin until a formal local government is established. No matter how often they bring the matter up.”

“Err, yes milord. As you say.” Apparently the issue was more commonly addressed than she had realized. How many Blades had Gormott previously had in their possession and how few were left?

The Regent motioned for her to leave and Vess did so, accompanied by Lady Brighid. Lady Brighid escorted her up the stairs and into a small storage room where she unlocked a safe and pulled out a bundle of different documents. “These are the records we have obtained so far regarding currently active and formerly active Blades in Gormott.”

Lady Brighid motioned her to a desk in the corner, so Vess sat down and spread out the documents. Slowly, but surely, she began to sort through them. It was more difficult than she had expected as the records had been gathered together by various parties. Some contained pictures, some descriptions, some names, but very few contained all three. “I’m surprised.”

“By?,” replied the purple haired Blade.

“I was expecting more thorough records. It seems like there’s so much missing here. After the tedious paperwork my Driver and I had to fill out I had assumed it would be much simpler to find information on Blades.” As things stood she wasn’t certain she would be able to find what she was looking for in one sitting.

“Hmmm, yes, that’s quite understandable. Unfortunately, many local records were destroyed in the war. More importantly, most Drivers and Blades in Gormott during the war were illegal unregistered Drivers.” That stopped Vess in her tracks.

She turned her chair so she could look up at Lady Brighid. “Illegal unregistered Drivers? How could that be true?”

Lady Brighid waved her hand as if brushing something away. “My country was blockading yours, making it exceptionally difficult for them to send records to Indol. Beyond that, the simple truth is that Gormott was desperately Awakening Core Crystals throughout the war. Blades changed hands many times, often quite quickly. Such is the nature of a Blade’s duty during time of war.”

Vess wasn’t sure she agreed that it was a ‘duty’, but Lady Brighid’s explanation certainly did make the situation easier to understand. “Lady Brighid, might I ask a personal question?”

“Proceed. If it’s about Lord Eandraig, the simple truth is that his age is rarely mentioned by those who meet him. I suspect the local nobility dislike admitting to being commanded here and there by a twelve year old boy.” Something in Lady Brighid’s tone told Vess that the other woman found the reactions of those nobles amusing.

“Ah. No, not that. I was wondering about your reaction when you first saw me.” Lady Brighid had clearly been hoping that the Blade coming to meet the Regent was someone specific.

“Nothing of importance. Simply keeping an eye out for an interesting Blade I met during the war. Have you had any luck finding information about yourself or the Blade you were looking for?” Lady Brighid’s quick conversational pivot told Vess that she clearly shouldn’t pry. Especially not when the person in question was the most powerful and important Blade in the Empire.

“No, not yet. I would like to continue though.”

By the time evening had come she had finished going through all the records. If the fox-eared Blade was buried in that information it was likely there was no description or picture. She had managed to find records about herself, but those had contained only a very basic description of her appearance as well as the name of a former Driver. However, that Driver would have been too old to participate in the war, so it was likely they were missing the data on her most recent Driver. Even her description was so simplistic that it was unlikely someone would be able to identify her from it.

So she bid farewell to Lady Brighid and departed, returning home to Mabon and his father. Upon her arrival she found Mabon outside, unsuccessfully attempting to juggle. His father was snoring loudly in his favorite chair on the porch. Her return interrupted Mabon and he dropped the small rocks he had been practicing with. It was something his father had started to teach him before the war. Vess suspected he wanted to learn the skill to impress his father. Or perhaps remind the man of simpler times.

“Vess! Welcome back. How was your day?” His greeting was so warm and cheerful that it washed away her frustrations almost entirely.

“Not as successful as I would have liked, but pleasant enough. Especially now that I’m home. Have you already had dinner?” She herself had only eaten a fairly plain sandwich that the Lady Brighid had provided. Or rather the sandwich Lady Brighid had commanded one of the house staff members to fetch.

“Of course. Those dumplings you made were as delicious as ever.” He looked over to his sleeping father. “He started doing a little better not long after you left. It’s happening more frequently, isn’t it?”

That certainly seemed to be the case. Vess had actually tried to make note of any healing Blades on the list she had looked through, searching for one that might still be active. “Maybe so. I’ve been trying to find someone else to take a look at him, but I haven’t had any luck so far.”

Her only possible lead from the Blade records was a healing Blade named Nia, whom the Ardainians had marked as ‘Potentially Active’, but there had been no physical description or indication of who her Driver may be. According to Lady Brighid any listings of ‘Potentially Active’ were based on either consistent rumors or reported sightings. Unfortunately that meant that this healing Blade was just as much a mystery to her as the fox-eared Blade. 

Mabon’s eyes were wet as he watched his sleeping father. The boy tried so hard to be tough, especially in front of her, but it would have been hard for anyone to watch family fall apart like that. Vess reached out and drew him into a hug. “It’s okay. Whatever happens we’ll face it together.”

Eventually she released Mabon from her embrace and helped him gather his father up. She put the both of them to bed, both men insisting that they needed no help, although she had to remind each of them to brush their teeth. Like father, like son. Thankfully Mabon had properly cleaned up after dinner.

Vess did a little bit of final tidying up and then went to put blocks on the chairs outside so they didn’t blow over. When she stepped outside she was greeted with a sight that made her heart leap nearly out of her chest. The fox-eared Blade was sitting on the wall across from their home, the one with the mural, her pale legs dangling off the edge and kicking idly. 

She looked down at Vess and cocked her head to the side. This was the closest Vess had gotten to the other Blade. Vess hastily drew ether into her and prepared to summon her Bitball. She wasn’t as strong without an affinity link, but there was no way she would let danger fall upon Mabon or Diarmad. “What do you want? You’re the one they call the Crimson Bellflower, aren’t you?”

The other Blade, who Vess was surprised to see had the appearance of a young girl, anywhere from her mid-teens to early twenties, tapped her fingers in a staccato rhythm atop the brickwork. “That nickname stuck around, did it?”

Vess was further startled to hear the other woman talk. This Blade spoke with the accent of a local born Gormotti girl. That was unusual. “It’s the only thing I’ve been able to find out about you. The Crimson Bellflower fought in the war they say. She’s not entirely sane. That’s something else they say. Mabon is a good child and I won’t let you hurt him or his father for some grudge against the Ardainians.”

A series of rapid changes washed across the fox-eared Blade’s face. Shock, disgust, anger, and then...she burst into laughter, her arms coming up to hug her midsection. Vess took a step back, uncertain what to make of it. Still, the reaction was so unusual that Vess let some of the ether she had gathered dissipate into the air. 

After about twenty seconds the woman finally let her laughter subside. She reached up and brushed tears of mirth out of her eyes. “Well,” she said. “I haven’t laughed like that in years. Thanks for that.”

“Err, you’re welcome? Do you mind filling me in? I go looking for information on you and then you show up the same day after stalking me and Mabon for months. Combine that with your place in the war and how some of the local Gormotti look at Mabon and what else was I supposed to think?” The whole thing was still suspicious. 

“Yes, I thought there was a chance you might have found something out about me. Or us. That’s why I came tonight. I didn’t want you to learn from just a bunch of stuffy records.” She hopped down from the wall and landed gracefully. 

The other woman folded her arms behind her back and shifted awkwardly from foot to foot. “I wasn’t expecting you to have no clue who I am. I guess your Driver never told you about me.”

“Told me about you? Why would…”, oh. But Mabon _had_ told her about a Blade. Just once, not long after he had Awakened her. About a Blade who had given Mabon Vess’ Core Crystal. Mabon had only ever described the Blade as a ‘sad lady’. 

Vess sat down heavily in one of the chairs. “You’re the one who gave Mabon my Core Crystal, aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

“And you haven’t been stalking Mabon with the intent to hurt him. You’ve been watching out for us, haven’t you?”

“Not exactly. I’ve been making sure that boy is a good Driver. I didn’t want you to be mistreated. You were...my last friend. During the war.” The way the fox-eared Blade’s voice fell as she spoke made Vess’ chest tighten. There was a terrible sadness to the way she had said those words.

Vess motioned to the other chair. “Well you’re here now. Why not come and join me?”

She shook her head. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t. I haven’t got much time left. My Driver is very sick. We were among the first teams who searched for survivors of White Chair.”

That explained a lot. Vess didn’t know all the details, but apparently every Human who had gone into the ruins within the first few days had come down with a wasting sickness. No one who had gone there beyond those first handful of days had become ill. As far as Vess had heard none of those teams was still alive. Apparently there was at least one. “I’m sorry to hear that. It would have been nice to meet a friend. I didn’t know any of the people who had gone there were still alive.”

The fox-eared Blade sat down cross-legged in the grass and dirt. “I healed him, but a lot of damage had been done before we realized anything was wrong. As well as before I figured out how to fix it. Some people can live long lives even when they’re physically weak or have poor health, but not everyone can deal with that trauma. Or the war. I should know.”

“I see.” Vess had no idea what to say to that. Had this girl just implied that her Driver had lost the will to live and was planning on taking his own life? Or had she misinterpreted?

She waved a hand dismissively. “It’s alright. You made it out and I’m glad. I was worried, but you seem happy. I couldn’t save you or the others back then, but at least I was able to give you the start of a good life. Right?”

“Yes, that’s right. Mabon is a kind young man and I’m certain he’ll be an excellent Driver. He wants to go on adventures and see the world.” A thought occurred to her. “You were able to heal your Driver from the wasting sickness when no one else could. Mabon’s father has had some mental difficulties since the war. Do you think you could take a look at him?”

“If that’s what you want, I’d be willing to try. But I’ll warn you. Problems of the mind are immensely complicated. Very few types of mental conditions can be solved with ether based healing techniques. Matters of the mind aren’t exactly my forte.” Even so, the fox-eared Blade rose to her feet and approached Vess, coming up onto the porch.

That felt silly. Just thinking of her as ‘the fox-eared Blade’. Here was this real woman, with real problems, standing in front of her and Vess hadn’t even offered common courtesy. “You know, Mabon never did catch your name. Would you mind telling me?”

“Nia. My name is Nia.” This time it was Vess’ turn to laugh. Might as well mark off that ‘potentially’.

Vess led Nia inside and to Diarmad’s room. Mabon’s father was sleeping deeply, as Vess had expected. Nia knelt beside him and placed her fingertips on his forehead and then closed her eyes in concentration. This silent interaction continued for nearly a minute before Nia stood and walked to the door. Vess followed her back outside.

“Were you able to do anything for him?” 

Nia shook her head slowly. “I’m sorry, he’s too far gone. This isn’t a natural disease, nor is it an injury. Or trauma.”

Vess retook a seat by the outdoor table, Nia, for her part, sat on the edge of the porch. “What’s the cause then? I wasn’t able to figure anything out when I inspected him.”

“It’s a failed healing. A Blade did a rush job on a serious wound, probably a head wound, and they scrambled his body’s natural responses. You could say that parts of his body, these small bits called proteins, they’ve gotten all twisted about. Slowly, but surely, they’re eating holes in his brain. It’s beyond what I can do to reverse it.” Nia sounded so tired. Exhausted, perhaps by the weight of having to tell many people something they didn’t want to hear.

Vess gripped her hands tightly on her knees to keep her voice from shaking. “I see. I appreciate you taking a look at him. I didn’t even know ether healing could cause such a thing.”

Nia shrugged, planted her hands on the wood of the porch, and then leaned back so she could stare up at the wooden slats above. “You can’t just throw ether at a body’s problems and expect it to get better. Just like with the rest of the world, more power isn’t better. You need a gentle and precise touch.”

“You need to care, you mean.” Nia flinched, but nodded.

So. There was no chance to save Diarmad. Mabon would have to watch his father slowly drift away, his mind wearing down day by day. “How long?”

“Dunno. Never seen anything like it. The knowledge sitting in my head, it understands the biological mechanics of what’s happening, but that’s about it. If there’s studies about this sort of problem, it isn’t floating around in my brain. As bad as it is now...maybe a few months.” 

Then neither Vess nor Mabon would have to wait long. Vess hadn’t been with them long, but she knew that Diarmad was a good man and that Mabon cared for his father deeply. His passing would be a tragedy. “Thank you for your honesty.”

They sat in silence for a while, the night air sliding across their skin, leaving only the faint distant sounds of those still awake in the city. In the morning Vess would have to break the news to Mabon. 

“I have to know. Why did you give my Core Crystal to Mabon? He said that the Blade who gave my core to him told him that someone very special was inside. But why Mabon?” Mabon had given no indication he had known any Blades personally. Neither Diarmad nor Mabon’s mother had been friends with any Drivers either.

“Oh. That.” Nia let those words stretch out into the night before finally answering properly. “A child seemed best. Unspoiled by the wretchedness of the world. You used to tell me that I was wrong. That the flame of life wasn’t being wasted. That it was being nurtured every day. By families.”

Nia stretched out a hand toward the sky as if trying to grasp something out of it. “I thought that being at a child’s side, watching them grow and helping them along the way...that it would be the place you’d be happiest.”

Vess wanted to ask more. To know more. Nia’s answer was flowery and poetic, but it didn’t completely answer the question. Why Mabon? Was he just the first child Nia had seen? Had Nia picked him out specifically? Because she saw something in Mabon? Or was that just what Vess herself wanted to believe?

Instead she said, “Will you come around again?”

“No. But I’ve arranged to send you a few things for after I return to my core. I’m actually looking forward to trying again, you know? I hope that the next me can be your friend.”

“I would like that,” said Vess.

“You know,” said Nia, “I actually considered trying to send my Core Crystal to your Driver. But my Driver is associated with the noble families. They’re pretty picky about what happens to ‘their’ Blades. Awakening me would only cause trouble for you and your Driver.”

“I understand. It would have been nice though. Like having another member of the family.” Vess had never broached the topic of Awakening another Blade to Mabon. She had barely even thought about it herself. It seemed like an act of innate trust between Driver and Blade. 

“I should get going. It was nice to talk to you again. One last time. I hope your Driver treats you well. And I hope to be your friend again. Next time.” Nia hopped up onto her feet and turned to face Vess, a sad smile on her face.

Without another word Nia, the fox-eared Blade who had delivered Vess’ Core Crystal into the hands of a ten year old boy, who had watched over them in secret, leapt silently into the air and onto the rooftops. Then she fled into the night.

Vess sat outside for a while, thinking about the past and the future. About what the war must have been like, about what it would take for the Gormotti people to be safe and happy again, how to tell Mabon about his father’s condition, the adventures they might go on, where they might live, and how, one day, she would have to head out into the night one last time.

When the time came, would Vess be happily looking forward to a new start, desperate to avoid looking back on the life that came before? Or would she be content in the loss of a peaceful and happy existence?

\-------------------

Within a month’s time a package arrived for Vess, containing money, letters, and a book. Addressed to Vess from Nia. Vess read through the letters many times. They were penned as if they were letters and had been addressed to a secure lockbox for later delivery. Diary entries. From the past Vess. Her penmanship had been terrible, but perhaps the war had made it hard to get good writing supplies. 

According to the first entry it had been an idea cooked up by their team leader. She had encouraged all of them to try and keep diaries, but many of the Gormotti Blades were against the idea. After all, Blades rarely got to keep any possessions and any of them who fell on the battlefield was likely to end up in the enemy’s hands. So Vess’ team leader had hit upon the idea of letters for delivery. A portion of her pay had gone into securing a lockbox where the letters could be sent.

There were entries from each of the members of their team at first, but they quickly fell off. Only Vess continued to write. After their team leader perished and had her core taken by the Ardainians Vess took it upon herself to pay for the maintenance of the lockbox. The last entry hadn’t been anything special. Unsurprisingly, Vess hadn’t known she was going to die.

Vess suspected that Nia had collected the letters after the war was over. Vess’ final entry had taken place while the war was still ongoing and Mabon said he had received her core shortly after the surrender was declared. 

Nia had left instructions with the book, explaining the trick to revealing its secrets. Yet Nia advised against reading it, only saying that if Vess did read it, hopefully she’d come to the conclusions that the previous Vess had. Oddly Nia had encouraged her to pass the book on to her future incarnation if it was possible.

Seven weeks after receiving Nia’s care package, Diarmad died quietly in the night. The funeral was a sombre affair, attending only by Mabon, herself, and a few of their neighbors. Toward the end his memories had been shot and he rarely remembered who he was, where he was, or even how to care for himself. It had been a difficult time for Mabon and herself.

The money Nia had left them helped sustain them at first, following the loss of Diarmad’s military pension. The proxy government tried to get Mabon to enlist, but he had stubbornly refused. Despite his young age they were desperate for Drivers. Mabon had said, “I ain’t fighting for the people who let my Da die like that.”

Their only saving grace was that the home they were living in wasn’t a rented property. Diarmad had owned it and passed it down to Mabon. Vess made use of her housework skills to maintain the place and helped out at some of the local shops, doing odd jobs here and there, but it wasn’t enough to get by.

So Vess finally succumbed and let Mabon begin learning how to fight. They started with easy lessons and gradually made their way up to practical combat. Just for protection. Vess made money recharging people’s batteries or power storage using her electric ether.

Eventually they started taking jobs harvesting ingredients from dangerous locales. Vess had a distinct understanding of the local flora, innate from her Awakening, and she cultivated it. Knowing what could be harvested from what trees, which beasts lived among the forest, and even about certain saps that could be used to create scents that deterred insects. 

Mabon thrived on these quiet little adventures. He took her advice and ran from danger rather than go headlong toward it, but he didn’t flinch at the prospect of being forced to fight if it came down to it.

Vess made sure that they earned enough to live on, but kept Mabon to a strict set of requirements. He still had to go to school and get a proper education. If his marks slipped too far, she wouldn’t let him accompany her on their little excursions. Day to day life became simple. Uncomplicated. Perhaps even easy.

A Consulate Provincial Government was established in Gormott. The Noble Families would operate as normal, electing a Chief from among them when the previous one retired or passed away. The only change was that the overall management was subject to oversight by a Consul put in place by the Ardainian Senate. The Consul also acted as the liaison between Gormott and Mor Ardain. 

The Lord Eandraig, a growing young man, established a vacation home in Gormott and began to commonly travel between both countries. Some people said he had fallen in love with Gormott’s natural beauty. Others said he just wanted an escape from the arid landscapes of Mor Ardain.

The military relay base was completed at the edge of Torigoth. It allowed for the refueling of Ardainian ships in transit between territories and housed transmission technology for long-range etherwave broadcasts. 

Nopon merchants began to settle back into Torigoth. Even some sort of famous Nopon engineer established a lab in Torigoth. At least he was famous among the Nopon. Neither the Ardainians nor the Gormotti seemed to have any idea who he was, despite the insistence by local Nopon that anyone who used ether heating elements for power or cooking should know his name.

By the time the war had been over for seven years it seemed Torigoth had become a bustling city again. There were tensions here and there between the citizens and the Ardainians, but fewer than most would have expected. For the most part the Ardainian soldiers and the Consul stayed out of the way. After all, Mor Ardain wanted to reap the fruits of Gormott’s labors. Not micro-manage it.

At seventeen Mabon finished his instruction in the Gormotti education system. As he had taken up no specific trade there were no additional paths to pursue. Mabon had one intention. To make money as a Driver. To see the world. 

“Ma and Da never saw any Titans except the Ardainian and Gormotti ones. I want to see more. Exploring the beautiful lands of Uraya, seeing what makes that sweaty smokestack Mor Ardain tick, experiencing the grandeur of Indol, the mysteries of Tantal. Oh! They say there’s a lost civilization in Temperantia!”

So they set out into the world. To explore Alrest and see what it had to offer. To make a life worth talking about. “I want stories that’ll make my children and grandchildren envious Vess!”

They took odd jobs as they traveled, first working security on tradeships for easy transportation, and then bodyguard jobs for merchants passing in and out of the various Nopon Trade Guilds. Out in the world Mabon discovered a new experience right out of the gate. No one seemed to care that he was an Ardainian who had been raised in Gormott. They cared that he was a Driver and that he did the job. His skills and performance were what mattered.

Vess had been used to how Blades were treated in Gormott, as well as by the Ardainians. It was interesting to see how people in the rest of Alrest treated her. 

The Gormotti natives treated Blades with casual politeness, but there was a sense that Blades were the equivalent of household servants. Respected and treated kindly, but only when you had to pay attention to them. Gormotti didn’t openly discriminate against Blades, but there were few laws on the books granting them distinct rights. 

The Ardainians, at least the ones she had met, acted as if Blades were household pets or objects. Of course Drivers got along with their Blades, they’d say, you could tame an Aligo and enjoy its company, but that didn’t mean everyone else would. They weren’t cruel, just...uninterested. Those in the Ardainian military were eager to get along with Blades, because Blades were excellent soldiers. And becoming friendly with a Blade was a way to get chummy with a Driver. And a Driver stood a good chance of becoming your superior officer.

Urayan travelers were the friendliest to Blades, especially the mercenaries. Uraya was one of the few nations that granted citizenship to Blades, something she hadn’t known before meeting some Urayan Drivers. Their people had a long standing culture of inclusion for Blades, although there were still certain distinctions. Due to the power Blades could wield there were legal restrictions to how their abilities were used while in Uraya. 

The Urayans, however, found the idea of Blades being family or lovers very strange. Not quite perverse, just an oddity that confused them. In Gormott Blades were very technically part of your family. In Mor Ardain you were the family pet, as it were. In Uraya you were a distinct individual. Most Urayan Drivers paid their Blades and the Blades even paid rent. 

There were distinct cultures for how Blades were treated and there was a further dividing line between Drivers and non-Drivers. Drivers as a whole were much more likely to treat their Blades well than non-Drivers for example. 

Occasionally they encountered Indoline travelers. Those few Indoline treated her with an aloof respectfulness that Vess found peculiar. She couldn’t tell if they were being deferential or if they just couldn’t care less about her. Was she somehow intrinsically special to the Indoline because she was a Blade? Or did they view her as talking furniture? It was hard to tell.

Tantalese and Leftherians were even rarer to run into. Tantal, apparently, had a strict isolationist policy. There had been mentions of their policy back home, but neither she nor Mabon had realized how severe it was. The Tantalese they bumped into were technically black market smugglers by their own country’s laws, but all of their dealings outside of Tantal itself were strictly legitimate. 

Leftherians only left their paradise like island homes for work opportunities, of which there were apparently very little in the archipelago. The Tantalese were more business-like and the Leftherians more casual, but her interactions with them were so few and far between that it was hard to judge what they thought of Blades. From the tidbits she gleaned it seemed like there were so few Blades in both countries that behaviors weren’t as clear cut.

Surprisingly, or perhaps not so much, the only people who treated Blades exactly as they treated everyone else were the Nopon. Not a single Nopon she met seemed to care whether or not she was a Blade. They cared how she acted, how she treated them, and if she had money. Several Nopon she encountered hadn’t noticed she was a Blade until after they had spoken nearly a dozen times. 

Alrest outside of the occupied Gormott was a very different place. The world kept turning, mostly unconcerned with the goings on in Gormott. Vess liked their travels, meeting new people, seeing new places, but mostly she liked how happy Mabon was. There was no goal in mind, they were just living their lives and gathering memories for the future.

In many ways their travels weren’t especially noteworthy. They made little impact on the places they went and only small impressions on the people they met, but that wasn’t what mattered. The smallest of moments piled upon each other day by day, creating memories. Creating their history. 

For years their lives progressed at a steady and casual pace. Nothing changing, but their travels and adventurers bringing light to their lives. Until the day that they were hired for a particular escort mission in Mor Ardain.

Through referral she and Mabon picked up a job acting as bodyguards for a ‘Utilities Inspector’. They reported in at the company headquarters of Yavmoth Heavy Industries, a manufacturer of construction and military equipment. Upon their arrival they were met with annoyed glowers and sidelong glares. 

Mabon leaned over to her and whispered, “Yikes, what’s up their bonnets?”

Quietly she replied, “I don’t think they like that we were hired on. Or maybe…”

A dark haired Ardainian woman wearing a cleanly pressed dark blue suit approached them, a large leather briefcase clutched in one hand. Trailing behind her was a red-eyed Tantalese man, with the cross-like shape emblazoned across his left cheek, and to his side was a Common Blade. Neither Mabon nor Vess had been able to find out if those cross symbols the Tantalese had were tattoos or something there since birth.

The Ardainian woman looked them up and down and nodded in satisfaction. “Good. You two must be the other pair I requested. My contact tells me you’re Mabon and Vess, correct?”

Mabon nodded resolutely, putting on his business face. “Yes ma’am. Vess and I are ready to act as your escorts.”

The Tantalese man folded his arms across his chest and scowled. “Finally. Lika and I haven’t exactly been appreciating these stares we’ve been getting.”

Their employer glanced back over her shoulder at the company men who were gathered together, silently watching. “Indeed. The representatives of Yavmoth haven’t been receptive of the need for this inspection. Follow me and we’ll discuss the details as we go. There’s a mobile Titan awaiting us outside.”

Sure enough one of the bulbous floating Titans, about the size of a large room, hovering about a meter off the ground just outside of the building. It hadn’t been there when they entered. It had been modified with a metal harness that strapped seats to its back and a complicated circular ring had been installed around its neck. The ring had wires running up from it to a set of controls towards the front of the Titan’s body, just in front of one of the seats.

All five of them climbed up onto the creature using metal rungs attached to its left side. Once atop it their employer took a seat at the controls and directed it away from the city. It was slower than a land transport, but fewer wild creatures were likely to attack a Titan. As they traveled the woman began to explain.

“There have been three safety inspections for Yavmoth’s primary factory, located near the Chansagh Wastes. Of them, the first two saw Yavmoth receiving a failing grade. The third inspector disappeared before filing his report.” She said it all so matter of factly. 

Vess and Mabon exchanged pointed looks and noticed the other hired pair were listening carefully. Vess was certain she already knew where this was going.

“Investigations have so far proved no wrongdoing on the part of Yavmoth, however the Utilities Inquisitor suspects foul play. A third failed inspection could spell the end of Yavmoth in its entirety. They can’t afford to have this factory shut down. As a result, the Utilities Inquisitor suggested hiring external protection for the next inspector. In this case, me.” Yes, it was generally what Vess had been expecting.

The Common Blade, Lika, piped up. “So why hire outside help? The various Inquisitors all represent sections of the Ardainian government, right? Or something like that anyway. Shouldn’t you guys have just dispatched soldiers or something?”

Her Driver, Isidore, scowly and fiddled with the hilt of his Chroma Katana. “Are you really complaining about getting paid Lika?”

“No, I didn’t mean it like that. Just seemed odd to me.”

Mabon leaned back in his seat and rubbed at his chin in thought. “Maybe it just costs less to hire a pair of Drivers than it would to dispatch a bunch of soldiers?”

Vess didn’t think that was it, but she didn’t have any other ideas. She didn’t know enough about Ardainian politics or industry to guess. Maybe there were odd laws keeping them from sending soldiers into a corporation’s factory? That wouldn’t be too surprising a reason.

Their employer, Mairi, was surprisingly blunt with her answer. “Because the Inquisitor deemed it unlikely that Yavmoth would engage in nefarious activities if I were protected by actual soldiers.”

Mabon jerked upright. “Hang on! You’re saying your superiors _want_ Yavmoth to try and kill you? That’s awful!”

Mairi didn’t look back, instead she kept her eyes forward as she guided the Titan towards their destination. “Maybe. They might not attack. But the Inquisitor wants to catch them in the act. If they killed a government representative then just shutting down their factory isn’t enough. They need to be properly punished. And to do that the Inquisitor needs proof. So...all five of us are bait.”

Isidore slammed his hand against the side of his seat. “What the hell? I’ve got no problem protecting you from danger, that’s in the job description as a bodyguard and escort, but we aren’t getting paid nearly enough to justify getting dragged into corporate espionage bullshit.”

With her foot Mairi nudged her briefcase backwards towards them. “You’re absolutely right. That’s why there’s a supplement to your contracts in that briefcase. The originals were posted so that Yavmoth could see what you were being paid. That way they’d know the average Driver would be unlikely to risk their life for that little.”

Vess picked up the briefcase and opened it. She passed out the paperwork to the other three and then set the case back down. “So, Miss Mairi, you’re really willing to put your life on the line for your job?”

There was a deliberate sureness to the Ardainian woman’s voice as she replied. “The man who disappeared, the previous Inspector, he was one of my closest friends. I’m willing to put my life on the line so that justice can be brought to bear on the guilty.”

Then, a little softer, she said, “Besides, the four of you will keep me safe, right?”

Vess recognized Mabon’s expression. It was a face he made when he thought about his father. She touched her hand to his knees and he smiled at her and the clouds went away. He mouthed ‘thank you’ to her and signed the updated contract.

“We’ll be sure to protect you ma’am,” he said. “Because it’s our job and because it’s the right thing to do. What’s the point of being a Driver if you can’t help people, right?”

“I suppose,” mumbled Isidore. “Yeah, why not? Count me in. If it pays enough to keep me from having to go back to that place...well then I’ll do it.”

“Thank you all. We’ll be arriving at the factory in about an hour. They’re unlikely to act while we’re there, but once we leave I want you all to keep your eyes open.” 

Mairi was right. Nothing of interest happened while she was performing her inspection. Their journey through the factory was slow, boring, and unbearably hot. Mor Ardain was already a miserably dry and hot environment, but the factory had large vats of molten metal and conveyor belts that led into furnaces for disposing of trash. The place was sweltering. Isidore seemed close to passing out. Tantal was supposedly a cold environment, so his reaction wasn’t too surprising. Even the born and raised Ardainian Mairi seemed uncomfortable.

The factory was manned by sweaty dirty people, primarily Ardainians. However, surprisingly several of the factory managers were Nopon and the facility guards were Tirkin. Vess had heard that some Tirkin could be hired for certain types of jobs, but it was the first time she had seen it in action. 

Vess had no clue what they were looking at during any point of the inspection. It was all complicated machinery and moving nonsense to her. However, Mairi was thorough and made numerous notes on a clipboard she carried in her briefcase. Whenever something caught her eye she would go over it in great detail. At times she would even take a worker aside and ask them a number of complicated questions.

The rank and file of the factory seemed more annoyed at her presence than anything else, but some of the factory managers appeared visibly nervous. Unsurprisingly nobody had told the workers that their jobs were at risk. 

When not looking something over top to bottom Mairi found time to chat with her escorts. Isidore proved too out of sorts by the heat for conversation, but Lika took up his part. Vess found Mairi surprisingly likeable and easy to talk to. She wouldn’t have guessed based on the woman’s job and how she behaved while performing it. Even her manner of speech was less formal when not talking about something job related.

While traveling through a long corridor that led to a loading bay near the docks, Mabon and Mairi got into a truly awful pun contest. For nearly two minutes straight they slung back to back puns at each other without stopping. Vess enjoyed a good pun herself here and there, but she couldn’t keep up with them. 

As they exited into the loading bay they finally stopped so that Mairi could resume her inspection. Even so, Mabon remarked casually, “I gotta say. Rare to meet another Ardainian with such an appreciation for puns. It’s not the most popular form of humor around here after all.”

“Hmmm,” she said. “I suppose it isn’t. My grandmother is Gormotti actually. I suppose she passed down the habit to the rest of us.”

Mabon nodded in understanding. “I was born here, but raised in Gormott. Guess it really is more of a Gormotti thing.”

Vess looked over to Lika, who was practically holding Isidore upright at this point. “But...she doesn’t have the ears,” she whispered to the other Blade.

Lika shrugged and whispered back. “I don’t get how Human breeding works, don’t ask me. Tantalese all have red eyes, but if they have a kid with a Human who isn’t from Tantal, the kids almost never have ‘em. Seems like it’d work the opposite way, right?”

Well, Humans were often quite strange. Passing down their traits from one generation to another was something only mortals could understand. Probably. Blades could never do so. They could only hope to leave an impact on the lives of those they interacted with. A biological history passed down through generations was out of their reach. 

Her cheeks twitched as she held back laughter. Thinking about that had made her remember having to sit down and explain proper ‘safety’ with Mabon. He had been embarrassed to have that talk with her of all people. He had been a growing young man and she had seen him starting to look at women a certain way.

Perhaps the most entertaining was when she had caught him staring at the Lady Brighid as she marched at the head of a convoy of soldiers. When she pointed out what he was doing he had grown flustered. So, feeling mischievous, she had told him that he likely didn’t need to even contemplate about those things. After all, even among Blades with Human-like appearances many weren’t properly ‘equipped’ for those activities.

He had almost fallen for the bait and tried to insist that the Lady Brighid surely did, but he had caught himself just in time. And pouted for the rest of the day. He even seemed not to believe her. That was understandable. It was often hard for Humans to take for granted the things Blades simply knew without ever having to learn.

Not that Vess considered that bit of automatic knowledge particularly helpful. Even if it had allowed her to tease her Driver. She had actually felt bad about it after the fact. Teasing people, even Mabon, wasn’t really in her nature. But that opportunity had been too good to pass up.

Now, years later, watching him chat amicably with Mairi, and seeing him watch her ever so intently, Vess found herself yearning to tease him. The only problem was, she wasn’t very good at it. What would she even say? She just wasn’t designed for that sort of thing.

Eventually Mairi’s inspection came to an end. From the looks on the factory managers’ faces it was obvious they suspected that failure was the result. Mairi told them to expect the results posted at the Ardainian Utilities Department Public Office by the following morning. And so it was time for them to depart.

As soon as they exited Mairi revealed that, as expected, Yavmoth’s factory had failed its third safety inspection. It would be shut down. Ostensibly temporarily so that the safety issues uncovered could be resolved, but the combination of fines for failing to resolve the problems the first two times and the loss of income while the factory was inactive made it extremely unlikely it would ever resume operation. Unless, of course, someone else eventually purchased it.

The closure of their largest factory would spell the end for Yavmoth Heavy Industries. Vess couldn’t see why that would make them attack a public official. Wouldn’t that just delay the inevitable? Or make things worse? She said as much to Mairi.

“You’re right, of course. If I had to guess it’s a difference of cultural sensibilities. The owner of Yavmoth Heavy Industries, Don Dondon, is the quintessential Nopon capitalist. An Ardainian owner would probably have cut their losses and sold the business at the start if they couldn’t afford to perform the necessary repairs. But among the upper echelons of wealthy Nopon...well if you can get away with something then you were right the whole time.”

That seemed like a truly alien way of thinking to Vess, but then again there were many ways in which Humans and Nopons alike thought that seemed bizarre to her. 

Mabon looked troubled. “I’ve worked with a lot of Nopon in my years as a traveling Driver. None of them have really seemed like that.”

Mairi shrugged. “That’s because you only start to see that with the ultra wealthy ones. It makes a certain amount of sense. Nopon are small and weak. They found a niche in the world that made them fit in and protected them. Money. As long as you’ve got it, it doesn’t matter how weak you are. It’s a power in and of itself.”

Isidore was starting to look more like himself now that they were out of the factory. Even so, he was still relying on Lika a little for support. She helped him up the rungs onto the back of their Titan. “Probably doesn’t help that Nopon Drivers are rare. In a world full of nations that wield powerful Blades at their beck and call, imagine how the Nopon must feel? No Titan to call their own, scattered all over Alrest…”

Come to think of it, Vess had no idea what Titan the Nopon originated from. It must have perished ages ago for them to be scattered to such an extent. “Well don’t the Nopon Trade Guilds wield a lot of power and influence?”

“More or less,” said Mairi. “But that doesn’t help the average Nopon in their day to day life. That sort of dangerous behavior from the owner of Yavmoth is something you only see from the really wealthy. Not that different amongst the rest of us truthfully.”

Their group fell into silence as they floated out across the Chansagh Wastes. Isidore finally perked back up, but by then nobody was talking. They all knew after all. If anything was going to happen, it would be while they were traveling through the wastes. Abundant with wild creatures, mostly barren, and close to the Titan’s edge. The presence of the Cloud Sea likely helped criminals dispose of plenty of bodies. A grim thought that she just couldn’t seem to shake.

Without warning, as they passed by a massive pipe, a horn sounded. A large tarp, patterned like the surrounding ground, was thrown back and a dozen Igna stormed out. With their reddish-pink chest, green bodies, and vicious bone axes the Igna cut imposing figures as they charged the Titan vessel. At their center rode an Igna with a feathered headcrest atop a Rhinon. Thickly muscled, squat, and coated in natural blue armor plates, the Rhinon was somewhere between a steed and a walking tank. 

“Mabon!” Their affinity link opened and ether sparked between them. Her Bitball appeared in her hand and she tossed it up. Without hesitation Mabon jumped from his seat into the air and spiked the Bitball with his open hand. It struck the Rhinon in the head, dazing it, and arcing electricity out amongst the Igna. 

Igna were known for their toughness and ability to suppress pain. It made them dangerous in battle. While momentarily stunned, that level of electricity wasn’t enough to stop them for more than a moment. Mabon landed on the ground, rolling and coming up to his feet. He caught the Bitball on the rebound and faced the incoming Igna.

Vess quickly looked over her shoulder and shouted to Mairi. “Keep going! Let us Drivers and Blades deal with this!”

Isidore smirked and unsheathed the Chroma Katana. “You heard the lady. Ready, Lika?”

“Up and at ‘em, boss!” Together they jumped from the Titan’s back and landed at   
Mabon’s side. Vess followed moments later, holding out one hand to empower her Driver. Lika did the same. The Igna were upon them in moments, slashing and hacking with their axes. There was no subtlety to their attacks, but they were strong and unflinching. Mabon batted the Bitball back and forth amongst the Igna, supported by Vess’ ether flow and the occasional shield. Isidore set about himself with rapid strikes from his katana that left trails of flame in the air as he swung. 

The leader of the Igna got his stunned Rhinon under control and charged it directly at them. Despite the presence of his allies. Vess shouted to point it out, but they were all still forced to leap aside. Lika was struck in the shoulder and tossed a few meters away. One of the Igna was trampled underfoot, but still seemed to be alive. Courtesy of its tough body no doubt.

After what they had been told by Mairi they had all been expecting mercenaries. Armed men with swords and guns. That sort of thing. Not a band of Igna. Igna didn’t take jobs for Humans after all. While not especially advanced, Igna weren’t stupid either. They seemed to despise Humans and made no effort hiding it. They were aggressive, but their small populations and tribal nature kept them from threatening most Human settlements. 

But the owner of Yavmoth Heavy Industries wasn’t a Human. That had been their mistake. 

Vess sent a bolt of lightning streaking towards the Igna leader, but it raised a shield made from a Rhinon neck plate up to block the attack. Isidore sent an arc of flame flying amongst the Igna to make room so he could get Lika back to her feet. Mabon smashed the Bitball down atop the head of one Igna, knocking it to the ground.

The Rhinon turned as its rider brought it back to make another charge. Keeping an eye on it Vess spotted something she hadn’t expected. Moments later the Igna saw it as well. Too late. 

Mairi’s Titan transport slammed into the Rhinon’s side, knocking it backwards. The Igna leader tumbled off his perch and landed awkwardly on the ground. The Titan kept going, shoving the Rhinon away. The beast itself, evolved for head on contests of strength, wasn’t able to properly exert itself against a creature pressing into its side. As they all watched, stunned, the Rhinon was driven off the edge of the Ardainian Titan and into the Cloud Sea far below. Mairi’s Titan, on the other hand, floated effortlessly in the air.

She turned it back towards land, but shortly after doing so it fluttered down onto its belly. The exertion must have eaten away its ether reserves, removing its ability to float. But that exposed Mairi and the Igna seemed to realize it. 

Three broke away from the melee before anyone could stop them, rushing to join their leader in taking down their prey. Mabon struck one of them in the back with the Bitball, bringing it down, but the others kept going. “Go!,” Vess shouted. “I’ll support Isidore and Lika!”

Vess pumped as much ether into Mabon and the Bitball as she could and then turned her attention to directly fighting the Igna. Mabon was quickly out of range of their affinity link, but hopefully that much ether would get him through enough Arts to bring down those Igna. Or at least get Mairi out of harm’s way.

She thanked the few times she had been forced to fight without Mabon, as they had prepared her for this battle. Without that active affinity link her ether replenished much slower, preventing her from outputting as much as she normally would. So she had to be conservative. She focused mainly on dodging, launching small bolts of lightning designed to stun the Igna or make them move away. She would have to rely on Isidore to inflict real damage.

A gunshot snapped through the air, followed by another, and then another. A quick glance showed her the source. Mairi had a small pistol in her hand and had opened fire. Likely she had kept it hidden in her briefcase. Vess doubted the weak rounds from that handgun would put down an Igna, but the distraction might be helpful for Mabon. It seemed like only the Igna leader and one other were still fighting Mabon.

On her side the battle was going well. Between their own attacks and the Igna trampled by the Rhinon there were only four left. They were going to win.

An Igna voice trumpeted out from where Mabon was fighting. One of the Igna near her barked out what sounded like a laugh and extracted something from its belt pouch and then tossed it to the ground. Then the Igna began to retreat. 

Vess exhaled heavily. She had gotten a few injuries that were in the process of healing so it was good to see the battle done. What had the Igna discarded though? It looked like...an egg? “What is this?”

She reached out, but Lika slapped her hand. “Don’t touch it!,” Lika shouted. “We all need to run right now! Don’t think, go! Mabon, Mairi, run!”

The panic in her voice made Vess’ response obvious. She turned to run and saw the others doing the same. Then she heard a vile hiss that sent a shiver down her spine. Vess shot a look over her shoulder and saw what she had feared. A truly massive purple scaled Aspar, with its hooded head and vicious eyes, was rapidly slithering towards them. Faster than they could run. The Igna must have been guiding an enraged mother Aspar toward them using her egg. 

An enraged Aspar was supposedly a fearsome enemy even for Drivers and Blades. Tough ether resistant scales, whip fast reactions, and lethal venom made them truly deadly foes. Mabon and Vess had always skirted far from one if they saw it. The huge serpents were notoriously territorial. 

Mabon was pulling Mairi along behind him as they ran. She was shouting at him. “If we let them get away then the proof of the attack goes with them! We have to capture that Igna captain!”

“We’re not fighting an Aspar! Our job is to protect you, not get you killed! If you survive then your superiors can use this as an excuse to investigate further!”

A loud roaring sound filled the air as a long narrow Titan craft swooped in from above. Vess didn’t recognize the design, but she did recognize the emblem on the side. The Carraig Special Guard Unit. Mor Ardain’s elite.

Something jumped from the ship and soared down from above, falling fast. A woman, hardly wearing anything at all, with greyish-green skin. A Blade. Gleefully the woman shouted something and from just behind her a pair of enormous muscular arms that floated without being attached unsheathed an equally large sword. With one downward cleave, the katana coated in flame, she separated the Aspar’s head from its body.

A petite woman in an officer’s uniform let go of one of the floating arms and settled onto the ground next to her Blade. She doffed her cap and inclined her head to them. “You Drivers did well protecting the Inspector. Let the Carraig handle the rest from here.”

Her Blade pointed into the distance. “Soldiers! Apprehend the retreating Igna and bring them in for questioning!”

The Titan ship sailed on ahead, swooping down to block the path of the fleeing Igna. Several Drivers and Blades jumped out to surround and subdue their enemies. 

Vess finally felt herself starting to relax. Mairi was safe. The Igna were being captured. Their job was done. 

The officer approached them, carefully placing her cap back atop her head. Her Blade walked at her side, hands confidently on her hips. “Inspector Mairi. Thank you for undertaking this task. I know that Utilities Inquisitor Danborgh was asking a lot of you to undertake this mission.”

Mairi shook her head. “It gave me the opportunity to get justice for Collin. Thank you for watching out for us Inquisitor. I was told you’d be keeping an eye on us from afar, but I wasn’t certain you’d make it in time.”

Isidore whistled suddenly. “An Inquisitor with a fire Blade? Don’t tell me...you’re the Special Inquisitor?” He turned towards the Inquisitor’s Blade. “And that must make you the Jewel of Mor Ardain, Brighid. Gotta say, I was expecting someone more...regal, but you’re a different kind of impressive.”

The Inquisitor laughed at that. “No no, I’m afraid you’re misinformed. I’m one of the Lesser Inquisitors. Specifically, the Carraig Inquisitor, head of the Carraig Special Guard Unit. This is my Blade, Newt. She’s been a member of the Carraig for many incarnations. One of the finest Blades in the Empire in my opinion.”

Newt flashed her Driver a quick smile. “Damn right. And I’m proud to represent the Carraig. Anyway, the Jewel isn’t in the hands of the Special Inquisitor. Not since the last one died. She’s with the Emperor’s nephew, Lord Eandraig. Since the Emperor wields Aegaeon the current Special Inquisitor possesses a different Blade. It happens that way from time to time.”

Not too far away the Carraig were loading the subdued and shackled Igna into their transport. Meanwhile a few others were searching through the possessions of the fallen Igna. The Inquisitor motioned to them to follow. “Come on. We’ll give you all a ride back to Alba Cavanich.”

In short order they were flown back out to Alba Cavanich where one by one they were debriefed by the Carraig, paid, and then sent on their way. Inspector Mairi offered to buy them all a drink at a local pub as a way of saying thanks. As such that night they all found themselves winding down from a long day with drinks and food.

They laughed and talked and ate and drank. Isidore and Lika told them stories about their homeland and even got them to toast to the next King. “And may he fix that frozen shithole right up when he takes over!” Isidore’s exact words. Apparently he wasn’t a fan of the current King and hoped that his son, Euligeminos, would be better for his country.

Mairi told funny stories about bizarre inspections she had been part of as well as some of the ridiculous ways industrialists attempted to excuse their unsafe practices. Vess and Mabon shared some stories of their adventurers, and talked about what it was like living in Gormott. 

As the night wound ever onward, Vess could feel something shifting. Like the path of history that she and Mabon had been creating was moving in a different direction. For good? For ill? She couldn’t say. 

But the look in Mabon’s eyes as he laughed with Mairi was enough to make Vess certain about the source. As an electric Blade she felt she possessed an affinity for that sensation between two people. They called it a ‘spark’ after all.

And when Mairi, a little drunk, told Mabon he’d look dashing with a beard, Vess could practically see the new path rolling out ahead of them.


	28. Chapter by Chapter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not gonna lie, they got me. They got me good. Seconds before clicking play on the Direct I thought 'man, sure would be nice to hear about an X port or maybe the next Xeno game'. Then there were clouds and Drifting Souls kicked on. I immediately thought: 'okay, don't get too hyped, it's probably just a 'includes all DLC' version'. Then there was new animation. Sheesh, I really thought for a minute there they were announcing like, a side story, or what if, or some more XBC2 DLC. I got trolled so damned hard. 
> 
> Still, getting to hear Skye Bennet and Al Weaver again with new voice lines was super nice. 
> 
> Btw, I almost wrote and posted within this story an Omake that would have had the character versions of THIS story reacting to the Smash reveal.

The beginnings of Mabon and Mairi’s relationship was simultaneously adorable for Vess to witness and painfully awkward. Mairi’s career kept her busy in Mor Ardain and while Mabon and Vess frequently took jobs in the country they were just as often away. When the two of them got the rare opportunity to meet up they were a saccharine pair...eventually. Every time they managed to get together the first hour or so was all kinds of shuffling feet and apologizing.

Letters were exchanged between the two to cover for the times that they weren’t able to meet up. Vess studiously avoided knowing anything about the contents, unless of course Mabon shared something. He did more often than she would have expected, sometimes to relate a funny story, others to ask her opinion.

As an immortal Blade, Vess had never been very good at judging Human ages just by looking at them. So it had startled her to learn that Mairi was thirty-six. Fourteen years Mabon’s senior. Among Humans that was considered a fairly large age gap. Apparently. Some of Mabon’s friends were shocked by the difference and Mairi had expressed in her letters that her friends and family thought their relationship was odd.

Vess found it impossible to understand the logic behind that. “Would you date me if the situation arose?,” she had asked one of Mabon’s friends when he expressed distaste in the relationship.

“Huh? Sure, I guess. You’re a nice lady. Lotsa folks look down on Blades and Humans getting together though.”

“That’s a separate issue. And you’re, what, twenty-six?”

“I’ll be twenty-seven in a few months. What’s your point?” He had seemed genuinely confused.

“So you’re nearly eighteen years older than I am. That’s a larger age gap than between those two. Doesn’t that seem hypocritical to you?”

He had waved it off. Saying that, as a Blade, it didn’t count. They always said something like that. Age just seemed so peculiar to her. She could walk into a bar and order a glass of wine without a problem, but once she witnessed a Blade with an appearance similar to a Human child try to order a beer and get denied. That Blade cursed like a sailor and had been Awakened close to three decades before. What an odd concept age was.

Yet regardless of what other people thought, Mabon and Mairi continued their relationship. Silly, sweet, and awkward though it was, it was theirs. The two had similar senses of humor and Mabon’s adventurousness complimented Mairi’s goal oriented attitude. Mairi helped Mabon buckle down and start tracking his finances better. Mabon helped Mairi try things she had never been willing to attempt before.

As Mabon’s Blade, Vess was a constant companion. There was an innate trust between Driver and Blade that built over time. Elements of the relationship between the two could be hard to understand for those who hadn’t experienced it. She made sure to have a proper conversation with Mairi about it.

They sat down together in the corner of one of Mairi’s favorite restaurants, sipping wine and snacking on the appetizer Mairi had ordered. Vess wasn’t especially a fan of Ardanian cuisine, but most restaurants in Alba Cavanich served wine imported from Gormott or Indol. Indoline wine was exceptional. They owned several small Titans used as vineyards after all. 

“I don’t want to interfere in your relationship in any way. Seeing Mabon happy makes me happy. I just want you to understand that if there are boundaries you want to set, I’m alright with that. As Mabon’s Blade I’ll always be around. I’m sure that might feel awkward, especially as your relationship progresses.” It was always best to get these sorts of talks out of the way. Get everyone’s feelings out on the table as it were.

Mairi took a slow sip of her white Gormotti wine. “I appreciate you sitting down to talk to me about this. I admit, I haven’t spent much time thinking about the details. I’ve personally known several Drivers and Blades, but I never really stopped to think about what that connection means when it comes to romantic relationships with other people. Blades and Drivers share their emotions, right?”

Vess paused in reaching out for another piece of the fried snack Mairi had ordered for them. “Yes and no. During an affinity link there’s a limited exchange of emotions, although the flow of ether is stronger the more in tune you are. Most Blades only open the link during battle when emotions are at their simplest. Makes life less complicated. Even then, it isn’t the same as knowing exactly what the other is feeling. It just...subconsciously impacts your own emotions. It’s very subtle.”

The other woman nodded and leaned forward, putting her chin in her hands. “I see. So you don’t know how he feels all the time. That’s good. I had sort of wondered how it would work when we…”, she trailed off and her cheeks flushed momentarily. “Well, anyway. Boundaries you said?”

“Or rules. Guidelines. However you’d like to think of them. Relationships of any kind with a Driver or Blade can be odd for the other person. For example, if someone is friendly with me, but doesn’t care for Mabon, that makes my interactions with my friend quite difficult. The more important that relationship becomes with the other person the harder it is to be on either side. Does that make sense?” She and Mabon had experienced that a few times. As travelers of the world it was usually easiest to just let that friendship fade out or limit their interactions. This situation with Mairi on the other hand…

“It does. I can’t say it’s something I ever expected to have to explore. Still...if I were to establish specific boundaries I’d like those to be things that occur naturally. I don’t want to force any of us to constantly be on watch for our respective behaviors. It seems...unfair. If you do or say something that makes me uncomfortable, I’ll tell you. And you should feel free to do the same. Just like with anyone else.” Mairi lifted her chin from her hands and took another sip of wine. 

Mairi offered Vess a faint smile and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her left ear. “You know, when I watch you two I always have the hardest time determining how to place your relationship. At times you act like his mother, but just as often you’re like siblings or best friends. The relationship between a Blade and her Driver is complicated I suppose. Especially since you’ve been together since Mabon was so young.”

Their waiter came over to take their orders. Vess requested a dish of grilled fish and vegetables, but Mairi wanted a steak. It always surprised Vess to see a slender detail oriented woman like Mairi eat. The woman had odd eating habits. She loved meaty dishes, smoked cigars, preferred beer to wine, and often had pre-packaged fried snacks hidden in her work briefcase. Which she would sneak when no one was watching. 

Even her ownership of a pistol seemed out of place. Mairi always had clean well tailored business-like clothes, her nails were always neatly manicured and polished, her hair impeccable, but she kept a gun in her briefcase like it was the most natural thing in the world. She was also a fabulously terrible shot with it, but enjoyed going down to the firing range to blow off steam. She had a collection of different rifles at home, some newer models and some antiques. Even a several centuries old tribal blowgun from Gormott.

She was endlessly entertained by pun contests with Mabon, loved to watch him juggle, and wrote pieces of historical fiction that had flawless grammar, but were painfully boring to read. Yet things as simple as trying new food or traveling to a place she had never been sent her into spirals of uncertainty. It took plenty of effort on Mabon’s part to convince her to try anything new. If she hated it, that was that. But if she loved it, she would try it out for at least a month. 

Mairi was at once impeccable and embarrassing. Mabon was completely smitten. Vess, having never experienced anything similar, didn’t know what to think. But she wanted Mabon to be happy. And the more she came to know Mairi, the more she wanted the woman to be happy. 

Over the rest of dinner they chatted about this and that. Nothing important, just the simple day to day life chatter of two women enjoying a good meal and pleasant company. 

Within six months Mabon and Mairi married.

\-----------------------

Vess and Mabon settled into their new home in Alba Cavanich with Mairi. Mabon started primarily taking jobs that kept him in Mor Ardain so that they could be together more frequently. They still took occasional jobs that sent them elsewhere in Alrest, even at one point to Indol. Well, the Indoline Port Market anyway. Yet never jobs that kept them away for terribly long.

Yavmoth Heavy Industries finally shuttered its doors, forced to do so after its primary factory had remained closed for so long. Especially after the factory managers and several senior executives had been implicated in the attempted murder of a Public Utilities Inspector. Those same individuals were eventually found guilty after a long trial.

The owner of Yavmoth, Don Dondon, was never successfully charged with any crimes besides criminal negligence. However, lacking funds and publicly disgraced he fled Mor Ardain. The Carraig promised to keep Mairi appraised of any movement or murmurs that might indicate an attempt at revenge against her for the part she had played, but no one was especially worried. The senior members of Yavmoth had primarily expressed their fury toward the Utilities Inquisitor. Someone of middling rank like Mairi wouldn’t satisfy their anger.

Life as the Blade to a married man, living in a household with him and his wife, turned out as unusual as Vess had expected. There was a delicate balance to what activities only Mabon and Mairi were part of, or Mairi and Vess, or Mabon and Vess. Vess had her own room, which was nice, and began to make friends of her own in the city. Many locals weren’t interested in making friends with the Blade of someone who wasn’t in the military, but some folks didn’t care that she was a Blade.

Vess tried going to girls night outings with Mairi, but most of Mairi’s female friends found her presence odd or unsettling. So Vess stopped going. Mabon didn’t fit in with most of Mairi’s friends either. Most of them were friendly enough, but they seemed to look down on him. Perhaps because he was effectively a mercenary. Ardainians respected military service, but thought little of those who lent their talents to the highest bidder. As it were.

Still, Mabon and Mairi were happy together. Neither one spent much time surrounded by other people. They were content to spend time together or by themselves. Neither engaged in frequent group social activities, so it was just fine. Vess would have liked to be invited to a fancy party, if for no other reason than to have the excuse to wear an elegant gown, but you couldn’t get everything you wanted.

Once she spotted Lord Eandraig marching down the streets of Alba Cavanich, trailed by a retinue of retainers, soldiers, and of course Lady Brighid. He had grown into a handsome upstanding adult and still carried himself with regal elegance. There was a pretty dark haired woman on his arm and they seemed to be enjoying each other’s company. She wished him well in his attempts to find a partner. As the Emperor’s nephew he must have countless women vying for him. Was that pleasant or tiresome?

Life passed by day to day in much the way it had before Mabon had met Mairi. It had changed with her presence, yes, in some ways better and in others worse, but life still marched onward. They were just writing a new chapter in their history now. 

Years, sometimes happy, other times sad, passed along. Four of them before the next chapter was opened. Mairi gave birth to a little boy, whom they named Antis. Eighteen months later she had their second child, a girl they named Noelle. And Vess fell in love.

Helping take care of those children day to day was the greatest joy she had ever experienced. They were messy and disgusting and whiny and loud and needy and she cherished every second of it. Changing diapers, feeding them, singing to them, keeping an eye on their health, playing silly baby games with them, and so much more. 

It was all she could do not to try to take over for Mairi. As exceptional as she was, Mairi was still a career woman and couldn’t be home at all times. When Mairi breastfed the children, Vess felt a tinge of jealousy. When Antis and then Noelle first called Mairi ‘momma’, her heart ached. Yet she was so filled with joy much of the rest of the time. 

The children, even as they grew, didn’t seem to understand where Vess stood in the hierarchy of parents. That made sense. Vess wasn’t sure she understood either. Mairi took to calling her their Aunt, which felt a little reductive to Vess, but children were children after all. You couldn’t expect the little ones to understand complex topics at such an early age.

Mabon took to doing only odd jobs in Alba Cavanich itself so he could be around the children more often. Vess was needed for proper Driver work and they couldn’t leave the children without someone to watch them just so they could go out on a proper adventure. Yet Mabon didn’t seem to regret any of it. The passion he had poured into their adventures he now transferred to fatherhood.

She saw so much of Diarmad in him during those times. Calming the children with silly stories, bouncing them in his lap, playing peek-a-boo with them, cleaning them up, tending to their wounds if they fell and scraped their skin, and juggling to make them laugh. He took to teaching them their letters with aplomb, although he left their numbers to their mother who was much better suited to the task.

Mairi got promoted to a position as Deputy Chief Inspector of Public Utilities and Safety Management. A promotion that came with a raise nearly as big as the length of her new job title. Her job mostly involved management of inspection cases and various Inspectors throughout Alba Cavanich and little actual inspection work. That meant she was at home more frequently than before. Just in time to help raise toddlers that turned out to be handfuls.

Antis and Noelle fed off each other’s energy as toddlers. When one was happy, both were. When one was sad, both were. They amplified each other. If Noelle started crying, Antis started crying, and then Noelle would get louder, and then Antis, and so on. They didn’t break things, but they were quite troublesome at times. 

As the children grew older, Mairi began to experience trouble breathing. She developed a cough that wouldn’t seem to go away. Vess treated the inflammation in her lungs as best as she could, but it kept coming back. They tried medicines, but that didn’t help either. Physicians they consulted had theories, but nothing definitive.

Then Vess found the first unusual cellular growth in Mairi’s lungs. She was able to deal with it using her healing, but eventually others began to appear. Mairi’s health began to decline. The children could tell that something was wrong even if no one would tell them what. Mairi, Vess, and Mabon all tried to put on pleasant faces, but there was no disguising that Mairi was sick.

Mairi’s physicians became certain. They had seen similar things before. Not uncommon in factory workers. The exact cause was unknown, but some people who spent lots of time in the Ardainian factories would come down with a sickness that involved cell growths in different parts of the body, most frequently the lungs. Proper treatment via ether healing could slow the progress, but none of them knew a method that stopped it completely.

No matter how much Mabon wished for it, no matter how desperate the children were, and no matter how much Vess tried to stop it, Mairi was going to die. Vess found it ridiculous. This wonderful woman who had dedicated her life to improving health and safety conditions in Ardainian utilities, especially their factories, was now dying because of those same conditions? And there wasn’t anything she could do about it? What was the point of even having healing abilities then?

Taking the advice of the doctors Mairi retired from her position, receiving a retirement and health pension. They moved back to Gormott and into Mabon’s old family home, which they had previously taken to renting out for additional income. The doctors thought the better air quality in Gormott would improve Mairi’s health. Make her life easier in her last years.

Mairi really did seem to regain some of her vigor once they were living in Torigoth. By comparison to the massive sprawling Alba Cavanich, the capital of Gormott was tiny and clean. Fish dishes were more common in Gormott to Mairi’s dismay, but besides that she seemed to thrive there.

They even took Mairi to see the old site of Shinebark, a port city that had been destroyed during the invasion. Her grandmother had been born there. Now there were only a few privately owned shipyards that had slowly been built back up. Once there had supposedly been an enormous shipyard that stretched out into the Cloud Sea, connecting to a massive protruding root of the Grand Arbor. Even that portion of root, that had purportedly glittered in the Sun, was now gone. Gormott had once produced some of the world’s finest small to medium sized Titan ships. No longer.

It had seemed like a sad thing to do in Vess’ opinion, but Mairi had been happy just to see the views her grandmother would have grown up with. Vess didn’t understand, but she was glad it brought joy to Mairi.

Mabon took infrequent odd jobs around Torigoth, but primarily they lived off of accumulated savings and the pensions that Mairi was receiving. That allowed Mabon to spend as much time as possible with his wife before the end. 

The children began to attend school in Torigoth. Vess took care of the day to day household chores. She even started making dumplings again. It had been nearly impossible to get the proper ingredients for a practical price while living in Alba Cavanich. Life once again established a repetitive pattern of day to day life. A new, if sadder, chapter in their collective history. 

Vess began to mail journal entries in the form of letters to the same lockbox her old self had used. She tried to write down her thoughts on the past, things she hadn’t considered writing about before, but now desperately wanted to leave for the future. Some things she remembered perfectly, but others were a mystery lost to time. Why, for instance, had she and Mabon buried a pair of expensive bracers in different Titans? Mabon didn’t remember either.

She poured herself into the task, hoping that the words in those pages would help her in the future. Or her next self. She read the book Nia had left for her and hated every second of it. It was filled with a despair that she couldn’t tolerate, so she set it aside. It wasn’t meant for her. She had promised to pass it on to the next Nia if it were possible, but now having read it she questioned that idea. Still, a promise was a promise.

Torigoth had changed very little while they had been away. There had been some additions of wooden apartments that hung from the underside of the Titan or from bridges, meant to accommodate the increased population, but they were mostly inhabited by the poorest citizens. Lord Eandraig still visited frequently, now with his new wife, but Vess never spotted him, his wife, or the Lady Brighid in town. He apparently had a lakeside manor that they spent most of their time at.

Chief Iver had retired and a young man named Edgar, a lesser noble whose family had performed admirably during the war, had been elected as the new Chief. There had been supposedly few complaints amongst the noble houses or from the Consul about his selection despite his young age. 

Mairi’s quality of life slowly deteriorated despite Vess’ best efforts. Even ether healing performed multiple times per day only helped a little. Sometimes Vess overheard Mairi crying quietly in her room or cradled in Mabon’s arms. Always when the children were outside or in school. When the children were present she was at her best. As strong and cheerful as she could be.

Vess longed for a private companion of her own to talk to. Before Mairi, that would have been Mabon, but this wasn’t something she could talk to him about. Not without hurting him. She needed someone to commiserate with her, to help her deal with what was happening to their lives. Mabon was going through enough struggle on his own without her making it worse.

Yet she had no close friends in Torigoth. Oh there were people here and there she spent time with and considered pleasant companions, but no one truly dear to her heart. A Blade, she thought, would be best. Only a Blade could really understand what she was experiencing. Watching your Driver’s spouse slowly die while you stood by helplessly? Feeling the void of despair in your Driver’s heart when you established affinity and knowing there was nothing you could do to fix it? Yes, only a Blade could understand. But she didn’t know any.

Oh there were other Blades in Torigoth, but most were Blades of noble families or wealthy merchants. Drivers without established roots rarely stayed, instead seeking their fortune out in the world. Much as Mabon had years ago. At one point Vess even considered trying to establish contact with Chief Iver’s Blade, but that woman made her distinctly uncomfortable so she decided against it.

Early one morning, as Mabon was seeing the children off to their classes, Mairi asked Vess for a favor. A special once in a lifetime request. A request that made Vess ache down to her very soul. She was reminded of something she had been told, once, years before.

_“Some people can live long lives even when they’re physically weak or have poor health, but not everyone can deal with that trauma.”_

“It seems so strange, doesn’t it?” Mairi seemed so peaceful in that moment.

“What does?”

“That of all the things the Architect could have given Humans or taken from Blades...it would be that choice. Of when and how to die. It’s a painful thing to comprehend, wanting your own life to end, but for a Blade...that’s a choice you can never make. Is that fair? To either of us?” It was rare to hear Mairi talk like that. She wasn’t the type to consider the whys and hows of their world. Although this was the rarest day of her life, so perhaps that was why.

Vess was reminded, suddenly, of some of the things she had read in that book Nia had left her. Unpleasant things. “I think that’s wrong. We can choose. Humans don’t think about it, but there are ways we could make that decision.”

She didn’t elaborate and Mairi didn’t press further. Instead they sat together in silence. Then, without preamble, Mairi leaned over and embraced Vess. She whispered into Vess’ ear, “thank you.”

Mabon returned home a few minutes later and Vess left the room so they could chat. They reminisced about their past before they met and the life they had lived together. The history they had written. They contemplated the future going forward. For Mabon. For Vess. For Antis. For Noelle. The history that was still left to be written. Vess made them dumplings for lunch.

The children came home from school later in the day. After supper they sat around the living room, snuggled up, and told stories as they drank hot tea. Mairi held tightly to her children and Vess wondered what that must feel like. A mother’s embrace. The Architect hadn’t denied Blades the ability to choose the end of their lives. But the love and touch of a parent. That he had given only to his mortal creations. 

The flame of life could be passed down. But it wasn’t something Blades possessed. It was only something they could nurture and protect. It was precious. And though there was little life left in her, what remained in Mairi was a roaring bonfire.

Eventually the children were put to bed and Mabon settled in for the night. Mairi hugged him tightly and gave him a kiss so gentle that Vess felt sad to know it was the last. Mairi told him that she wanted to stay up a little longer so she could read one of her favorite books. That she loved him and that he should rest. Vess didn’t hear what Mabon whispered back to her. For that, at least, she was glad. 

When at long last everyone else in the house had drifted off to sleep, Vess knelt in front of Mairi as her Driver’s wife sat calmly on the couch, her favorite book daintily placed in her lap. Mairi reached out and cupped Vess’ face in her hands and drew her closer until their foreheads touched. “You’ll take care of them.”

It wasn’t a question. Vess could feel the trust in those words as strongly as if through an affinity link. “I will.”

Vess let her ether flow into Mairi and guided the woman to her chosen path. Gently, carefully, softly, wordlessly. Until the last embers were gone.

\-----------------------

Despite all of them having had time to come to grips with it, all of them struggled with Mairi’s passing. It was impossible to be fully prepared. The children wailed and Mabon held his wife’s body tightly to him. Vess soothed them and comforted them, offering gentle caresses and sweet words. No one had an appetite, but she made sure they ate.

They had made preparations in advance. The burial and funeral took place the next day. Mairi was laid to rest next to Mabon’s parents. That way everyone could visit them all together. Mabon struggled to talk to anyone before or after the funeral and the children were similarly quiet. It was Vess who stepped up and took charge. There was no other choice. No one expected the husband’s Blade to be grieving as much as the deceased’s ‘real’ family.

That was unfair. Not a soul said anything of the sort to her. Her heart was broken as well, but she still had to act. In the end, Mairi had been somewhere between a sister-in-law, a daughter-in-law, or a cherished friend. But life, for the rest of them, had to continue. She had faced this before, with Diarmad. It was nothing new.

Yet it hurt just as much all the same.

There was something truly unusual about the time that followed the death of a beloved family member. A hole was torn in the fabric of your family, but time didn’t stop or slow. History marched onwards on whatever path it chose to take. You had meals to eat, chores to do, work, or school, or any number of tasks. Life continued to happen no matter what you felt.

And that life was largely the same. There was just an empty spot in your day’s activities. You had breakfast the same way, but there was one person missing you might have normally talked to. Take the children to school, but there would be one person fewer waiting for you when you returned. Nothing had changed. Everything had changed.

History refused to wait on them. Vess took charge of caring for Antis and Noelle. Mabon finalized the sale of Mairi’s home back in Alba Cavanich. The idea of trying to handle it as a rental property had been too painful for him. Mabon searched for work to supplement the continued pension they received from the Ardainian government. Mairi’s passing had been treated as a work related incident so her pension passed to her next of kin. 

Mabon cried when he thought no one was there. The children would grow misty eyed or break down into tears at surprising moments. Vess saved her tears for the children. She let herself cry without falling apart as she held the children and reassured them. Mabon was ashamed of his tears, but there were times when he let her hold him and cry together.

Day by day they made progress. It was slow and painful, but they were able to move forward with their lives. Together. As a family.

Some of the neighbors looked at them oddly and whispered that Mabon should find a proper mother. Someone to take care of his children. Even as they saw him playing with those same children and teaching them and laughing with them. As if he wasn’t being a father right in front of their eyes. As if Vess wasn’t there at all. 

One afternoon, as they sat at home waiting for the children to return, Vess and Mabon talked about marrying. For the sake of Antis and Noelle. So that they could have a proper mother. In the end they knew it was foolish. The love they felt for each other wasn’t that sort and it was a terrible reason to get married. 

“They had two mothers before. They still have one now.” 

She cried into his shoulder and he held her tightly. They weren’t her children, it was true. But knowing that Mabon, at least, thought of her as a mother to his children was more than enough. The Architect had denied her the ability to create the flame of life, but she would nurture it as well as any Human.

For their part the children listened well and treated her as they always had. They didn’t call her ‘mom’ or ‘ma’ or ‘mother’ or any variation thereof and Vess didn’t ask them to. If they ever chose to she would be delighted, but she was taking care of them because it was the right thing to do. Not for praise or validation. Although, she admitted, the validation would have felt wonderful.

The children grew and changed. Mabon and Vess stayed the same. And then, one day, Vess learned something special. She was walking through the streets of Torigoth, running an errand, and there, bobbing through the crowd, she saw a familiar set of ears. 

Nia, who had helped bring her into this world, who had started Vess’ path with Mabon, the beginning of her history, that fox-eared Blade walked the streets of Torigoth again.

\------------------

Nia had been Awakened by the scion of a noble house, as was expected. Enoch of House Echell. Vess was glad that Nia was receptive to her advances of friendship. It was strange to experience this new Nia. Her brief meeting with the previous Nia had given her an image of a sorrowful person, struggling through life and a deep seated pain. This Nia was vibrant and almost painfully alive. 

Cheerful, jocular, bright eyed, and open to anything. Nia loved to playfully tease people, especially her Driver. She teased Vess about her relationship with Mabon, asking when they’d get hitched already. But she was kind and, upon learning about Mairi, Nia never teased that topic again. 

Mabon was overjoyed to meet her and properly get to know her. Vess learned that Mabon had actually spoken to her previous incarnation a handful of times before ever Awakening Vess’ Core, but only as a means of checking to see if he had tried to resonate yet. Mabon was embarrassed when Vess told Nia about how he had only remembered her as ‘the sad lady’. Nia, for her part, had found it hilarious.

Nia’s time with her Driver didn’t let her visit too frequently, but it was a delight whenever she could. That they were able to become friends after so long seemed nearly miraculous. That Vess and Mabon’s path had somehow led back to Torigoth after all this time…

Antis and Noelle seemed to like Nia, although Antis soon reached an age where he was embarrassed to talk to her. Noelle didn’t seem to understand her brother’s confusion, but Mabon and Vess did. Nia herself didn’t spot it at first, but had a big laugh when they pointed it out. 

“Unfortunately for him, my heart already belongs to another,” Nia said with the utmost seriousness.

“Oh?,” asked Vess. “Who might that be?”

“Dance!” And dance she did. One of the most painfully awkward dances Vess had ever seen. 

Mabon looked at her askance. “Don’t they teach you high society types to dance for balls and such?”

“Course they do,” Nia replied. “This is way more fun than that stuffy style they taught me though.”

That was Nia’s way. It rarely seemed that she took anything seriously. It was a breath of fresh air.

And then, suddenly, she had something to take seriously. Her Driver had gotten married and his wife was expecting. Nia began to play with the kids more often and asked for Nia’s advice on how to treat children. She even asked Antis and Noelle what sort of things they had liked when they were little.

The warmth and excitement with which Nia anticipated her family’s new arrival...Vess remembered those days. She could see the same thoughts in Mabon’s eyes as well. 

Vess could only imagine what Nia must have felt when her Driver’s wife passed away during childbirth. Although there was one part that Vess understood more deeply than she could ever admit.

“She asked me to. Begged me to save the baby. To save Gaya. I...I couldn’t...save them both. It was like I was the one...who...to Felicia...I…”

Vess held Nia then and let her friend cry. She held her and caressed her hair and whispered soothing words until Nia eventually fell asleep in her arms. That night Vess dreamed of Mairi’s last request and their final moments together. 

Gaya turned out to be a delightful child. Her poor health didn’t let her visit often, but it was nice to have another young face in the house. Especially once Antis and Noelle reached the age where they moved out. Antis took work for the Public Utilities Department in Mor Ardain, following in his mother’s footsteps. Noelle was offered a job as a liaison officer for the Urayan branch of an Ardainian distribution company. 

That left Vess and Mabon alone in the house together for the first time since leaving Gormott all those years ago. That was why it was so nice when Nia and Gaya were able to visit. Whether it was just Nia or both of them it was also a pleasant opportunity.

There was something odd about hearing Gaya call Nia ‘Big Sis’, but they thought little of it. 

Life beat ever onwards, dull and repetitive for Vess and Mabon. A daily cycle with few changes. Maybe a new book one of them picked up or a new dumpling recipe Vess thought of. In a very real way they thrived off of the energy, positive and negative, that Nia brought with her on her visits, infrequent though they were.

Gaya’s health declined and with it the finances of House Echell and Nia’s relationship with her Driver. It was bizarre and uncomfortable to witness even third hand. Mabon and Vess knew the pain of slowly watching a loved one fade away, but nothing they could do or say would make it better. Make it go away. They could only be there to support Nia whenever they were able.

In the end it wasn’t Gaya who perished first. It was House Echell. Collapsed under the weight of poor financial decisions and mismanaged business. Nia, Gaya, and Nia’s Driver Enoch would be moving away from Torigoth. On the day that they were to transport their belongings a heavy storm was blowing in.

Nia came to Vess and Mabon, Gaya in tow, and asked them to take care of her sister until she was able to come back. They didn’t want the frail Gaya to have to travel during a potentially dangerous storm. Once they had dropped off their possessions and the weather was better Nia would come back and pick Gaya up.

So they offered casually goodbyes and said they’d see each other later. The sort of things you say to someone without thought. Because how could you possibly know?

Neither Nia nor Enoch returned.

\-------------------------

Gaya slept fitfully that first night as the storm raged outside. Mabon tried to convince Nia to hold off on transporting her family’s possessions until after the storms had passed, but Enoch would hear none of it. The man was desperate to get away from Torigoth. From the creditors. From the noble families. From reminders.

Six days at most. That was what Nia had assured them. With travel slowed by storms and their packed belongings it would take multiple days to arrive. Then everything would have to be unloaded into their new home. After that Nia would make the return trip while Enoch unpacked. After all, Nia would be able to move much faster and more safely by herself.

On the second day, as the storm continued to howl outside, they heard rumors of wash outs. Sections of decay along the edges of the Gormotti Titan that had broken off due to crashing waves and fierce winds. Gaya huddled on the couch with a cup of hot tea in hand, a blanket wrapped around her. Her stare was sad and distant, glued to a singular spot on the far wall. She spoke when they talked to her, but little else. 

Vess monitored Gaya’s health, making sure she was as well as could be expected. There was nothing abnormal beyond the normal abnormal. Mabon insisted she was just weak and a little depressed because they had to move. Not having Nia around probably didn’t help. They let her be, but made sure she knew that if there was anything she wanted then all she had to do was ask.

On the third day the storm finally let up. Or perhaps it was easier to say that Melnath’s path had led it out of the petulant weather system. The Sun properly came out and business as usual resumed. People in the city began talking about how bizarre it was for Melnath to not have moved to avoid the gathering storm or exited it sooner. They worried that it was a sign that their Titan’s health was growing worse. Perhaps it was addled in some fashion.

Older residents insisted that this happened from time to time. A deadly storm to them was a cleansing bath for a beast the size of a continent. Of course there were also those few who worshiped the Titans that would tell everyone around them that it was simply the Will of the Land. 

Gaya’s energy was a little better on that day. Encouraged by the light that now bathed their Titan. She even let Mabon try teaching her juggling tricks again.

On the sixth day they waited patiently. Or Vess and Mabon waited patiently. Gaya sat outside on the porch, pretending to read a book, but constantly looking up at the sound of any approaching footsteps. Vess collected ingredients for a big tasty meal. She wanted to throw a proper farewell party for Nia and Gaya. Vess had every intention of visiting her friend, but there was no telling how frequently they’d be able to see each other once Nia was living away from Torigoth.

Nia didn’t arrive that day. Or the next. Or the next. Or the next. 

Gaya seemed to deflate with each passing day. As if her desire to see her sister again had filled her frail body up and now leached away day by day. Her shoulders hunched, her skin grew paler, and she became more distant and less responsive.

The poor weather just slowed them down. It won’t be much longer. That was how they reassured Gaya. Yet those assurances grew more and more hollow as one day flowed into the next with no sign of Nia’s return. 

“They left me,” Gaya said on the eleventh day. “I’ve always been a burden to them. Now they’re free. Right?” Her reddened tear filled eyes spoke of self-delusion and desperation. A terrible excuse that in some strange way seemed safer than the alternative. Less painful.

Vess held the young girl in her arms and stroked her hair. “They would never abandon you. Shush dear child. It’s going to be alright. It’s going to be okay.”

On the thirteenth day Vess headed out onto the Garanti Plain, traveling as fast as she could. Mabon stayed at home to take care of Gaya while Vess herself sought out Nia and Enoch’s new home. A Blade could move faster and run for longer than a Human ever could. 

When she arrived she found no signs of Nia, Enoch, or any of their possessions. The guest house they had moved to was separate from any villages so they had no neighbors, but she walked to the closest village to ask them questions. See if anyone had noticed anything or heard any word of travelers on the road. They knew nothing. 

Vess was no tracker, but she still sought to retrace Nia and Enoch’s steps. The path they were most likely to have taken. Slowly and carefully she followed it back towards Torigoth. And found, along the road, a wash out. It was possible that...but no, she had no way of truly knowing.

On the seventeenth day Vess arrived back at her home in Torigoth. She told Gaya and Mabon what she had and hadn’t found. The truth was that they didn’t know for sure, but the most likely answer was clear. Whether by storm or by wild beast, neither Nia nor Enoch had made it. 

“They’re alive. I’m telling you, they just abandoned me. It’s okay, I swear. I do. I understand.” Gaya shook as she spoke, her body unsteady and her eyes filled with tears. 

“Child,” Mabon said. “That girl would never leave you. I know this is difficult. Over the course of my life I’ve lost many people I love, but accepting the truth is important. Which hurts worse? The thought of them being gone because they didn’t love you enough? Or the thought of them just plain being gone?”

Gaya had no answer. She didn’t talk to them for two days, no matter how hard they tried to get her to talk. It seemed that day by day Gaya was growing thinner, no matter how much Vess tried to get her to eat. 

On the nineteenth evening, Gaya wished them goodnight and told them how grateful she was for how they had been taking care of her. It was the first thing she had said to them since that seventeenth day. 

On the twentieth morning, Gaya was nowhere to be found. Her few sets of clothes were gone, the room she had been sleeping in neatly cleaned, the bed sheets folded properly. On the porch outside, held in place by one of Mabon’s juggling rocks, was a tiny note. It read, “Thank you for all you’ve done. I’ve gone to find Sis.”

Vess and Mabon searched desperately throughout Torigoth, enlisting the aid of the local soldiers. But soldiers weren’t interested in playing investigator and no one in the chain of command cared about trying to find the lost child of a disgraced noble family. 

Mabon took over canvasing Torigothi residents for any sign of Gaya. Meanwhile Vess headed back out onto the Garanti Plain to see if Gaya had headed out into the wilds. She retraced the path to the Echell guest house and back to Torigoth many times, but found no sign of the girl. On her return she heard something similar from Mabon. No one had paid attention to the slim pale Gormotti girl with ribbons in her hair. Or no one cared. The results were the same.

They tried for so long. Posters, words of mouth, an informant. No one knew. No one said anything. 

In the end they learned nothing else. The House of Echell and all of its members had disappeared off the face of Alrest. 

Vess suspected she would never see her friend again.

\------------------

Before the year was out the Emperor of Mor Ardain passed away in his sleep. Sensing a moment of sudden weakness the Kingdom of Uraya staged an invasion of Gormott. If they were able to rest control of Mor Ardain’s best food production province they might be able to topple their rivals. 

Urayan forces quickly seized multiple smaller Titans within resupply range of Gormott and then assaulted the mainland. With the two most prominent royal lineages of Mor Ardain having recently lost their leaders and the Senate in disarray attempting to put successors into place, the Urayans gained a distinct advantage in the beginning. 

Vess and Mabon had no interest in joining the war effort. Mabon was already fifty, though he acted much older, and had never cared much for Ardainian rule, despite being Ardainian himself. The residents of Torigoth weren’t especially interested in the invasion either. As long as battle didn’t spill into their streets or kill their citizens, why should they care?

The Gormotti Branch of the Ardainian military fought back against the invaders and, like forty years before, their defensive efforts were aided by the Urayan’s unwillingness to damage the fertile land they were hoping to gain. A stalemate was quickly reached, although it was clear the Urayans were priming up for a massive strike.

The flagship of the Imperial Navy arrived at the Torigoth Relay Base, having smashed its way through a blockade. Residents of Torigoth gathered to witness a parade march through the streets of Torigoth the likes of which they had never seen before. The Imperial Regent and his retinue had arrived.

Archelons in full battle gear tramped heavily at the front and rear of the parade. High ranking members of the Ardainian military in full dress uniforms stood in positions of honor. The Carraig Special Guard Unit and their Blades commanded attention. Yet none drew the eye as much as the four figures seated in a palanquin that was carried atop an Archelon half again as large as the others.

In the seat of power was the Imperial Regent himself, dressed in a glorious white and red uniform, his grey eyes piercing the crowd. This was the closest Gormott had ever come to receiving the Emperor. With the heir too young to ascend, Special Inquisitor Ruiseart had been tapped as Imperial Regent to act in place of the Emperor. At his left side was his Blade, Zenobia, a dark skinned woman with horns and ostentatious clothing. One of the strongest Blades in the Empire.

However, to the right of the Imperial Regent was someone that more residents of Torigoth were interested in. Heir to House Ladair, child of the now deceased Lord Eandraig who had loved Gormott, and Acting Special Inquisitor. Morag Ladair. A petite teenage girl with fearsome eyes who, despite her slender frame, cut a striking visage in the uniform of the Special Inquisitor. This young girl, who everyone was so certain would retain the title of Special Inquisitor when her cousin inevitably took the throne, was of more interest to all of them than the Imperial Regent.

After all. She had spent much of her youth in Gormott. If anyone could treat their country right, wouldn’t it be a child who had come to love it? And aiding in that task was her Blade, the former Blade of her father, the Jewel of Mor Ardain, Lady Brighid. The Lady Brighid’s serene beauty, grace, and glowing blue flames made even the Imperial Regent’s Blade seem small by comparison.

Vess idly wondered how similar this new Lady Brighid was to the previous one. Not that she had much in the way of comparison, merely an afternoon of limited interaction. But this was only her second time seeing a Blade reincarnated. 

The military procession passed through Torigoth and out onto the Garanti Plain. Once further out onto the plain, members of the Carraig Special Guard Unit escorted Imperial Regent Ruiseart and Acting Special Inquisitor Morag to a large roped off open area. There they met with representatives of the Urayan government. The meeting was being moderated by two of the Goddesses of Idol for purposes of having a neutral third party present.

Vess wished she could have gotten closer. Lady Brighid was one of the most famous Blades on Alrest, but the Goddesses were perhaps more so. Of course the residents of Torigoth would eventually hear the results of this arbitration, but seeing and perhaps even meeting the Goddesses would have been a special treat.

With the procession over most of the citizens went back to their daily business. Some lingered on the walls of Torigoth or around its lumber yards to keep an eye on the proceedings, but that seemed rather pointless to Vess. It wasn’t like they could hear what was going on.

By the next morning the people of Gormott got the answer they had been waiting for. An agreement had been reached. A truly strange one. Uraya agreed to cede all territory gained in their recent invasion and pay reparations for damages done. If their chosen representative was unable to defeat the representative of the Empire in single combat.

That brought a stir to the Gormotti. It was an insane archaic concept. Why would anyone have agreed to such a suggestion?

Then the answer was made clear. Whoever won the challenge of single combat would become Emperor of Mor Ardain. With minimal risk of life Uraya stood the chance to completely defeat their rival and, in so doing, become the most powerful nation on Alrest.

Then the answer brewed a greater storm than the invasion itself. An open challenge lasting for one week. Each nation could submit any one formal challenger, but anyone was free to act. Of course there would be limited slots open, after all, the Imperial Regent could only fight so many times a day.

“The man didn’t seem like such a brazen musclehead when he was just Special Inquisitor,” Mabon said. “Did becoming Imperial Regent fluff up his brain with useless pride or something?”

“It does seem odd. Why would the Ardainian Senate agree to something like this?” No one seemed to have an answer for Vess’ question or Mabon’s.

Throughout Torigoth there was blustering of all kinds. Lots of folk saying they’d submit their names for entry. Speculation as to which nations would submit someone. Who would fight for Uraya? Would Indol participate? Leftheria? Tantal? The smaller independent Titans?

The contest wasn’t even open only to Drivers. If a non-Driver were to fight then the Imperial Regent would do so without the aid of his Blade. It was true that the Imperial Regent Ruiseart was considered an exceptional warrior, but it still seemed to be the height of madness.

Neither Vess nor Mabon paid too close attention to the bouts. It seemed like mindless bloodshed spurred on by greed and a bloated sense of pride. People took bets and second hand reports of each battle poured into the city. 

At the end of one week the Empire of Mor Ardain stood strong and Urayan forces departed from Gormott and all of the outlying smaller Titans. The invasion was over. 

At the end of one week the Empire of Mor Ardain had someone to sit atop their throne.

Her Majesty, Empress of Mor Ardain, Defender of Alrest, Queen of Gormott and the Expanded Territories, Morag Ladair.

Vess found herself completely uninterested. One ruler was much the same as another after all. Life went on.

\---------------

Years passed. Day to day life continued much as it always had, although Mabon’s health did start to decline a little here and there. They rarely went out anymore, relying primarily on Mabon’s savings and pension they continued to receive. Antis was doing well, having made Inspector much like his mother before him. Noelle had married a Urayan mercenary, a fact which seemed to amuse Mabon to no end. Noelle sent Mabon a sample of chocolit, a bitter semi-sweet treat from Uraya that he fell in love with.

Life was simple. Peaceful. A bit boring, but she had never minded that. Even Mabon, once so in love with adventure, seemed perfectly content to live out his remaining years peacefully. It sometimes felt strange to think back on their adventurers from all those years ago. Like looking back at a history book written by entirely different people. That was what life and loss did she supposed.

Until one day, out shopping, she spotted a familiar face in the crowds. It would have been impossible for her to not recognize the fox-eared Blade. 

“Nia? Oh Nia, it is you! It’s been too long!” The words flowed out without thought. They were silly, foolish, childish. A part of her knew this couldn’t possibly be the same Nia she had known, but the heart wanted what it wanted. A moment of childish hope and here she was, letting the words tumble out of her.

“I’m sorry, but...I’m not the same Nia you knew.” It was the answer Vess had been expecting. But still, in the end Nia was Nia. She would always be a friend..

Vess smiled and said, “Oh that’s alright dear. My old self was a close companion of an even older version of you so this wouldn’t be the first time. That’s just the way it is with us Blades. Personally I think a good friendship can transcend lives, don’t you?”

Nia still seemed unsure, but Vess recognized those expressions. How very like the Nia she had been before. “I dunno. Hadn’t thought about it. I was only Awakened about a week ago.”

“Oh I’d love to meet your new Driver. If you don’t mind that is. You’re welcome to come see Mabon with me anytime if you’d like. I’ve been with him for ages and I’m sure he’d be happy to see you.” Mabon would be delighted to know that Nia was back. Especially given their history.

“I’ll...ask. Thanks by the way. For being a friendly face who knows mine.” 

“Of course dear. Oh, I never did say my name? I got so distracted by saying hello that I didn’t even think about it. I’m Vess.” It seemed so odd, yet so right, to be introducing herself again. She had introduced herself last time, the time before that Nia had already known her name, and who knew about the first instance.

Vess held out her free hand and Nia took it. “Vess, I’m just now realizing that you’re the first other Blade I’ve gotten to talk to since I Awakened. My Driver and his Gramps, they’re great, but not all the Humans around here…” She trailed.

When their hands separated, Vess’ floating halos jingled as she moved, and she ran her hand through her hair to sweep part of it off her shoulder. This was her moment of decision. She had promised, but hadn’t followed through during Nia’s previous incarnation. If she didn’t decide now, she would never do it. But was it a good idea?

No, a promise was a promise. She would pass it on. Although she had never promised to reveal the book’s secret. It still counted, didn’t it? “I know just what you mean. Mabon and his children are wonderful and Mabon’s wife was also very sweet when she was alive, but so many people don’t understand us and don’t try. I’ll tell you what. If you do come and visit I’ll give you a copy of a book I think you’ll find interesting.”

“Alright, that does sound nice.” Nia paused for a moment before saying, “Sorry to cut and run Vess, but I was bringing this food back so my Driver and I could have lunch. I also need to pick up some fish so a certain Titan doesn’t get grumpy. Don’t ask.”

Nia turned heel and began to leave. “I hope to talk to you later Vess! Take care!”

“Goodbye Nia! Enjoy your lunch!” So. She had met Nia again. She would have to go and see Mabon immediately.

It was nice to open a new chapter in their life at such a late stage. There was always more history to be written it seemed.

\------------------

Nia’s new Driver was a delightful sweet young man somewhere into his teen years. When she asked, he told her ‘fifteen-ish’ as if that were a proper answer. A Leftherian born Salvager who treated Nia no differently than he did her or Mabon or any random person he met on the street. 

Mabon called him a ‘proper Driver’. Vess tended to agree. Rex knew nothing about being a Driver and close to the same amount about Blades in general. In a way his lack of knowledge made him the ideal Driver candidate. He had no biases about what Blades were supposed to like, how they were supposed to act, or even how a Driver/Blade relationship was supposed to work. 

He was a hardworking young man and had been working as a Salvager for five years. That seemed strange to Vess, that he had worked from such a young age, but everyone had different life circumstances. Whatever his were, they had molded him into a cheerful and often surprisingly thoughtful boy. 

After their initial stay on Gormott Rex and Nia stopped by on their Titan every so often when picking up Driver work. If the job gave them the opportunity they would stop in to see Vess and Mabon, have some food, talk, and generally enjoy themselves.

Vess found herself looking forward to those visits. They weren’t especially frequent, but it was just nice to have a little change of pace. It was also fascinating to see how Nia looked at Rex change with each subsequent visit. 

One day, after Vess helped soothe one of Mabon’s coughing fits, not long after Rex and Nia had left, Vess sat down for a little chat with her Driver. “So,” she said. “I think she’s sweet on him.”

Mabon rolled his eyes and slumped back in his chair. “Course she is. The kid is almost too nice for his own good.”

“Mabon…”

He grunted in response. “Fine fine. He treats her well, can’t say I’d be upset if he reciprocated. Still though...feels like watching my own kid talk to their crush right in front of me sometimes. Can’t say I’m a fan.”

“Dear, Nia is perfectly capable of making her own decisions. Besides, I think it’s fun to watch. She looks at him like I used to see you look at Mairi.” That brought a wistful look to Mabon’s eyes.

“Maybe so, maybe so. But that kid...he looks at everybody the same way. I don’t think he sees it yet. Mairi saw it from the start.” He reached for a handful of chocolit and Vess snatched them out of the way. He glared at her in response.

“Give it time. He’s still young. You were, what, twenty-two when you and Mairi first met? The circumstances are totally different.” He nodded, seeming to accept that, and then fell silent. He was staring at the mural on the wall across from their home.

“He’s the proper Driver, Vess.” Mabon said it so quietly and seriously as if he was pronouncing something monumental. 

“You’ve said much the same before. It’s ‘a’ proper Driver though.” To her surprise Mabon looked up at her with a determined expression.

“I didn’t mean in general. I meant he’s the proper Driver for you. That’s what I think.” 

Vess found herself taking a step back from the intensity of his gaze. “Mabon...you shouldn’t talk like that. You’ve got years left to go.”

He waved his hand dismissively. “I know my body. I haven’t got any intention of artificially trying to extend this life of mine. I’ve been blessed, all things considered. Lived a happy life. So I’m content to see it end. But knowing that doing so would take you from this world...well I can’t stand the idea. So this is what I’ve come up with.”

She pulled the other chair out so she could sit across from him. “You’re suggesting that we arrange for Rex to become my Driver after you pass?”

Mabon nodded resolutely. “That’s right. If it’s what you want. I thought...he’s a good kid who would do right by you. Plus you’d get to share a Driver with Nia. After what she did for us, bringing us together, it only feels right that I do the same right back. Again, if it’s what you want.”

A thousand different emotions swirled within her. Her heart ached at the thought of losing Mabon, of losing herself. But there was joy to the thought of being something of a friend or sister to Nia. Of having the opportunity to write a new history for herself. And there was some small part of herself that thought being Rex’s Blade might be like getting to take care of Antis and Noelle again. A foolish thought, but there it was.

Quietly she said, “Let me think about it.”

“Of course. Take as much time as you need.”

It was time for Vess to decide. Something she had thought about years ago, after meeting Nia for the first time. Would she be content in the loss of a peaceful and happy existence and a new start, or sorrowful at the idea of losing such a long history and having to start over again?

Now, as that point in her life approached, Vess realized that the answer was likely both.

\------------------

Rex, sweet kind salvager Rex, was the Driver of the Aegis. A legendary Blade said to have slain Titans centuries ago. And he needed their help.

Mabon agreed, but he knew he didn’t have the strength to fight anymore. “I’d only be a burden,” he said. “But I think it’s right for you to go. If you’ve decided.”

“I have.” They had worked together to pack some food, clothes, and money together for Mabon. He would leave Gormott and head for Mor Ardain to stay with Antis. That was the safest thing to do. Otherwise as soon as the Ardainians recognized her they would come for him. Uraya would have been safer, but it was easier to get transportation to Mor Ardain on short notice. 

Mabon drew her into a deep hug. Maybe everything would work out for the best. Maybe they would see each other again before the end. Or maybe…

“Mabon...there’s something I have to tell you. It’s about Mairi. I…”, Mabon squeezed her tighter.

“Shhh. I know. I’ve always known. What you did was right by her and so it was right by me. Do you understand?” Vess nodded slowly, her chin on his shoulder, tears dripping down onto the back of his cloak. 

“It hurt so much Mabon...I wasn’t made for that...it wasn’t why I was born.” She couldn’t stop. Not now.

“I know. The world isn’t so clean a place to let us all be who we were meant to. That’s no consolation. It just is. But Vess, you did what you were born to do so many times and for so many people. And you’ll keep on doing it. That’s the gift a Blade gets, right? You get so many opportunities to be who you want to be.”

She could feel him shaking against her. Her Driver. It seemed like he was thirteen old again, so small and uncertain, having just Awakened her. Yet those were the words of a man who had lived a long full life. “The world won’t be the same without you Mabon. I won’t be.”

But she wouldn’t remember him. The gift to try again, the curse to not remember the times before. Such a strange balance the Architect had struck with her kind. 

“I wouldn’t be who I am today without you either. But Vess, I can’t imagine a world without you. So I’m happy just knowing that there’ll be some version, any version of you, out there making the world a better place. That’s who you are. I know it. I’ve experienced it for forty-seven years.” 

They pulled apart, holding onto each other’s shoulders. It had been so long since she had seen tears like those in his eyes. She could only imagine how much of a mess she looked like. Her eyes were already puffy from crying, but she knew they’d be back to normal within minutes. Was that a blessing of being a Blade or was it sorrowful in this instance? “Mabon, thank you for all of those years. I love you.”

“I love you too. You’ll take care of yourself. And them.”

It wasn’t a question. “I will.”

And so they let each other ago. Mabon out into the streets of Torigoth so that he could leave his longtime home once again. One last time. To return to the place of his birth. The home of his son. The home of his beloved departed wife. 

And Vess set out to help the Driver of the Aegis. And to put pen to page on writing the next chapter of her life.


	29. Azami of the Clairvoyant Eye

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to Smash Pyra and Mythra!

Rex’s rescuer passed him a towel that he wrapped around himself as he sat down on the bench she had shown him to. An actual bench with a soft cushioned seat. On a private boat. He didn’t even want to guess how much the whole ship had cost. “Thanks.”

“No thanks are necessary from you, but I can’t say I’ll complain. Let’s get you warmed up sweetie. Would you like some coffee?” She leaned down, her face getting super close to his. The movement surprised him and he jerked back a little.

“Uh, sure. That’d be wonderful.” It was a cool night and he was in just his boxers. “You ummm...don’t happen to have any clothes I could borrow?”

She let out a tinkling laugh and swept away, her hoop skirt brushing his legs as she moved. “Afraid not. I’m not the type of Blade that needs spare clothes. And if there isn’t company I don’t even wear the little bit I have on now.”

Rex gulped. _‘What kinda thing is that to admit to someone you just met?’_

The Blade had moved just out of sight into the kitchen area, but he could hear her setting things out so she could probably hear him. “I’m Rex by the way. Thanks for coming to my rescue.”

“Rex, what a wonderful name. I’m called Azami. Say it as often as you like Rex. It was my pleasure to save you from those ruffians.” There was a pause as she continued what she was doing. “How do you take your coffee by the way?”

“Hmm? Just milk is fine. If not, I like it plain as well. Azami, how did you know to rescue me? Did you follow those men from Uraya?” The timing was strange. He wasn’t sure he trusted the whole situation, but he didn’t have much of a choice.

“No, I like to sail far and wide. I travel a lot for pleasure, but it’s my hobby to people watch and I happened to see you all tied up and struggling. A bunch of good for nothings kidnapping such a cute young man? Well I couldn’t have that.” Her tone was sweet, almost saccharinely so. Rex didn’t think she was being dishonest, but it didn’t sound quite right.

“People watch? In the middle of the Cloud Sea?”

Azami leaned around the corner and pointed to her left eye. The eye within the eyepatch began to glow blue. “With this eye I can see very long distances away and even through objects. When I noticed a boat traveling at top speed in the middle of the night I got curious. I might have gone a little overboard though.”

Rex considered the events earlier, the men being blasted down and the boat burning and sinking. “Maybe a little. I can’t say I like the idea of people dying just so I could get rescued, but I do appreciate your help.”

She smiled brightly at him, cupping one hand to her cheek. “Oh what a sweet person. You really are a cutie pie, just like I thought.”

Azami went back into the kitchen and then returned a few minutes later, two cups of coffee in hand. She handed one to him and then sat down. Her right shoulder pressed up against his left and her leg was touching his. Despite her skin appearing akin to porcelain or perhaps metal it was soft. She was, however, definitely way too close. She took a sip of her coffee and peered at him above the rim. “I hope you like it Rex.”

“Uh, yeah. Thanks.” He blew on it and then took a tentative sip. It was as hot as he had been expecting, but the warm liquid really did make his body feel better as it went down. “I haven’t had a good cup of coffee in a while actually. I’ve usually got plenty of energy, but the other Salvagers used to make tons of the stuff back in my early days and I got a taste for it.”

“So you’re a Salvager? What an exciting profession! Do you salvage by yourself or as a team?” Somehow she managed to lean even closer into him. Rex was fairly certain she could take a drink from his own coffee if she moved just a tiny bit.

“A little of both, but mostly solo. I do a little Driver work on the side these days. Or I had been for a while. Helps to earn some extra cash. You and your Driver must make a killing to afford a boat like this.” He scooted a little closer to the other end of the bench and Azami followed him without hesitation. Or even acting like she had noticed him moving.

“A Driver too? How delightful! My Driver is what you would call independently wealthy. I spend as little time there as possible, but as long as I attend to my duties when necessary I’m free to roam wherever I want. I indulge a little here and there, partaking in my favorite things and my hobbies. Not a job per se.” Rex shifted away again, hitting the bar at the farthest edge of the bench. Azami joined him, her thigh and shoulder still pressed tightly up against him.

“Oh, that’s uh, pretty interesting.” He took a big gulp of the coffee and winced hard as it burned his tongue. He paused to breathe on it again. “Would you mind dropping me off in Fonsa Myma? I know it’s probably out of your way, but my friends are there and I don’t want them worrying about me.”

“Certainly. It’s a little dangerous to sail at night, but first thing in the morning we can set sail. From our current position I believe it will take almost two days to get there. This is a luxury ship, but it isn’t especially fast.” 

Rex looked up at her in shock. No, that didn’t make sense at all. Even if it wasn’t a fast ship he had gone to sleep and it was still night...they couldn’t have covered that much distance in less than a full night. “Are you sure? Maybe you don’t have the Urayan Titan’s current position.”

“No, I’m quite sure. It might be slightly closer than I think, but it wouldn’t be too large a difference.” Before Azami could say anything else Rex set his cup down beside the bench and ran to the railing so he could stare up at the sky.

His eyes intently watched the cloud cover pass across the Moon, waiting for its full shape to be revealed. As he did so Azami came to stand beside him, once again a little too close. But he didn’t have time to think about that. “If it would just…”

The clouds finally parted and he got a good look. A skilled Salvager learned to rely on nature to guide them and not solely on technology, but this was something he had learned living in Fonsett Village. The phases of the Moon in fine detail. The same phase of the Moon as when he had gone to sleep. So she was either wrong or...

Rex clutched the railing, his hands shaking. No, this wasn’t the time to panic. She was probably just wrong. Most people who weren’t accustomed to sailing were bad at estimating travel times and distances. He had once met a merchant who had assumed he could sail from Argentum to Leftheria in half a day. “Please, Azami! I know it isn’t the safest, but could we head back now? If it takes that long for us to get back my friends will be worried sick! They’ll think I…”

No, they wouldn’t think he was dead. Nia and Mythra would be proof of that. “Please…”

“Rex, I understand your worries and it’s perfectly understandable, but it just isn’t safe. First thing in the morning though, you have my word. Now come on, you must be starving. Let’s get you something to eat.”

\------------------

Less than an hour later Rex had eaten. To his surprise the moment he started he had realized how empty his stomach had been. It hadn’t hit him before, but when the food touched his tongue it seemed like a bottomless hole opened up in his gut. He had been surprised at how much he had been able to eat.

Azami watched him eat, seemingly amused by the amount he was consuming. She declined having anything and mentioned that she had been getting ready for bed when she saw the boat Rex had been on. Rex still wasn’t sure what to think of her. She was bad about personal space and a little odd, but she didn’t seem to be a bad person. Some of her mannerisms were unsettling, but that was probably because he was on guard from being kidnapped. 

Sure she was always standing or sitting too close, but some people were like that. Lots of people found Rex’s optimistic attitude and cheerful demeanor annoying, but that was fine. Different folks made for a more interesting life. If everybody was the same it’d get real boring. Rex just wasn’t used to being around someone like her. Most people Rex had known just weren’t that touchy. 

It was probably also bothering him more than it would normally because he was stuck just wearing boxers. If he had real clothes to put on it wouldn’t feel quite so odd. “That hit the spot. Thanks Azami.”

“You’re quite welcome.” There was something enigmatic about her smile. Or maybe he was just having trouble reading her expressions. 

“I think we should probably turn in for the evening. Especially if we want to get an early start.” Plus a good night’s sleep would probably help him shake the remaining effects of the drugs those men had been giving him.

“You’re right, but Rex...I’m not letting you get into bed without properly cleaning up. You’ve sweated quite a bit and taken a dip in the Cloud Sea. A nice hot shower will do wonders for you. Now up, up.” She herded him towards the bathing area and showed him how to work everything.

“Set your trunks outside the door before you get in. I don’t have any spare clothes for you, but I can wash those at least.” Rex felt a little awkward about the idea of letting a stranger wash his underwear, but she was probably right that it was needed. It was no different from letting Auntie Corrine do his laundry, right? Although he had been a little kid the last time that had happened.

“Uh, right. I’m gonna get in now, okay? Thanks.” Azami stepped out and he took off his underclothes and opened the door up a crack so he could set them down just outside. Then he let the water start up and tested it until it became a comfortable temperature.

Once he was actually under the stream of hot water he realized how right she had been. It felt wonderful letting the shower wash over him. Some of the tension in his muscles felt like it was fading away and even his head was starting to feel a little clearer. There was still a little fuzziness, but the mix of the coffee, good food, and the shower had really started to help.

It was painful to think about what it looked like to the others, suddenly discovering that he was gone and not being able to find him for days, but that would be over soon. Azami would take him back to Uraya and they could resume their journey. They might just have to set a night watch rotation or something from now on. Who would have thought someone would sneak in to kidnap him?

Rex closed his eyes as he rubbed the shampoo into his hair, lathering it up. Gramps always liked to remind him to scrub behind his ears. Not like he ever forgot. There was a faint sound in the room. The pipe squeaking? He opened his eyes and jerked away, his back hitting the shower wall. Azami had entered the bathing area. Completely naked. No metal skirt, no ribbon on her back, and no flower print shorts. “H-hey! What the heck?”

Without hesitation Azami opened the shower door and stepped inside, letting the hot water run over her. Strangely it moved over the open area at her belly as if there was flesh present. Was her skin there just transparent? “I thought since there’s only so much fresh water in the tank it would be a good idea to share. Don’t you think?”

“Uh...no. I’m gonna get out.” He tried to shift past her, but she stepped into his path and reached up, running a hand through his hair.

“Tut tut, not with a head full of shampoo. Let’s rinse that out for you, shall we?” She tilted his head back to let the water run over it and gently massaged his scalp. Rex realized that if he tried to back away suddenly he’d lose a chunk of hair to her grip.

“Hang on, seriously, just...turn around or something, okay? Please.” Rex had no idea what to make of this or what to do. In a fight you just defeated your opponent or got away, it wasn’t super complicated. But...what the hell was he supposed to do in this situation?

“Oh, are you feeling modest?” Rex gulped as Azami leaned down, her face hovering close to his. “You shouldn’t. Like I said, you’re a cutie pie.”

“That’s all well and good, but, I’d seriously like it if you’d turn around. Then I’ll get out and you can finish your shower, okay?” Her hands came away from his head and she took a step back. Rex breathed a sigh of relief and moved to finish rinsing the shampoo from his hair, but he realized that she hadn’t looked away. In fact she was just standing there smiling, her eyes unashamedly roaming up and down his body.

“Azami...I keep asking, but…”

She clapped her hands together suddenly and stepped forward until she was standing under the water with him, her body pressed up against his. “Say Rex,” she whispered in a sultry voice. “What do you think about becoming my Driver?”

Rex’s mind went blank and he stumbled to make a response. What the hell was she talking about? What in the world was happening right now? “I...what?”

And without warning she grabbed the back of his head and pressed her lips against his.

\--------------------

Rex held the towel tightly around his waist as he placed himself with the ship's wheel between him and Azami. His hair and body, still wet, dripped water onto the deck. The porcelain skinned Blade didn’t even seem embarrassed or upset at their current situation or Rex’s reaction to her advances. She just seemed amused. She also had yet to reform the rest of her clothing.

After Azami had kissed him Rex had bolted from the shower, grabbing a towel on the way out. He had no idea what had made her act that way with someone she had just met, but he had no interest in indulging her. Besides feeling a little violated he was now beginning to realize one other frustrating thing. _‘That...that was my first kiss damn it!’_

“I’m warning you! Keep to your side! And explain what the heck you were doing!” Rex began to genuinely contemplate trying to swim back to Uraya. It wasn’t impossible, but it was stupidly dangerous with no preparation. Or clothes.

Azami ran a hand across her own cheek and smiled in a manner that Rex decidedly didn’t like. “I just couldn’t resist. Besides, why shouldn’t I shower my cute Driver with affection?”

“Lady, you’re crazy. None of that makes any sense. And anyway, I never agreed to be your Driver!” Even that didn’t make much sense. You can’t just swap Drivers. She couldn’t be asking something like what Mabon and Vess had planned, could she? 

“No, not yet, but you will. I know you were meant to be my Driver. I knew the moment I met you. No, before that even. I was convinced when I saw you make your escape from those vicious criminals who kidnapped you. You were so dashing. Just the way a true Driver should be.” There was a faint blush on her cheeks and she even cast her gaze down. Acting shy now was ridiculous as far as Rex was concerned.

“I was meant to be your Driver? What’s that even mean? Why would I ever agree to something like that after what you pulled?” She moved to step around the ship’s wheel, so Rex shifted his position to keep it between them.

“Exactly how it sounds. And believe me, you’ll come to understand my affections eventually. If that’s not as immediately important, I’m a very strong dark element Blade. You saw a little bit of what I could do before, right?” Yeah, he had. Not directly, but she had certainly quickly and effectively taken that boat apart. From the way it shook down Rex was certain she could have blown the thing apart in seconds if he hadn’t been there.

Azami ran her hands across her cheeks again. Rex really didn’t like her expression when she did that. “And with my Clairvoyant Eye I could help you accomplish so much. You could become my Driver here and now if you like. Move up the hour of our destined joining.”

_‘Clairvoyant Eye?’_ She had said she could see long distances and through objects. That must be what she was talking about. How far was ‘long distances’ though? “Hang on, right here and now? That’s crazy. Crazy and impossible. Wait...you’re not suggesting I...kill your Driver, are you?”

“No no, that won’t be necessary. My Driver will fade into irrelevance eventually, but I have something much better. Let me show you!” She turned and raced back into the ship’s interior. Once again Rex considered just jumping overboard.

Azami returned shortly, still with no clothes on, now with a strange object in her hand. It had a similar shape to a Core Crystal in the center, but about half the size. Surrounding it were several intertwining loops of a silvery metal that occasionally glittered with the flow of ether. She held her hands out, palms up, to display the object. “This is an Overdrive Protocol. With it a Blade’s resonance can be disrupted and the bond can be passed to a new Driver.”

She clutched it to her chest and stared intently at him. “If I were to use this, we could become Driver and Blade this very moment. It just requires one of three possible things. The Driver could willingly release the bond, the new Driver could stretch out for it as if resonating, or the Blade could act as a medium to move the bond.”

Her eyes met his and Rex felt his skin crawl. This lady was dangerous. “I want you to say yes so I’ll do whatever it takes until you understand you were meant to be my Driver and I was meant to be your Blade. I could just use this myself, but I don’t want to do it that way.”

Rex’s mind spun with all of this new information. An Overdrive Protocol? Something that could move a Blade’s bond from one Driver to another? Wait, had she just implied what he was thinking? “Are you saying you can use one of those to forcefully move a Blade’s bond to a Driver?”

Azami nodded without any sign of hesitation. “That’s right. As long as the releasing Driver or the Blade wants it, then it doesn’t matter what the new Driver wishes. I could make you my Driver right this second no matter what you say, but I don’t want that. I want you to choose me.”

Another thought struck Rex. “If one of these protocol things is used...what happens to the Blade? Do they Awaken again?”

“Oh? Is that what you were worried about? Fret not, it’s a perfect transfer. No returning to a Core Crystal, no loss of memories, just a slight tugging sensation. I’ll still be the same Azami.” 

No loss of memory. So the Blade could carry on as the same person they always had been? “And you’ve just...got some of these sitting around?”

“No, not quite. They’re only produced infrequently and they’re very expensive. Single use too. I’m afraid they’re not the sort of the thing the average Driver and Blade can get their hands on, nor could someone use them casually. That’s how important this is to me.” 

If he had an Overdrive Protocol...couldn’t he save Vess?

No, he couldn’t focus on that right now. First he had to safely get back to the others. Then he could think about it.

But the thought wouldn’t go away.

\----------------------

Jin’s two person submersible arose from the clouds, drifting slowly toward the location Obrona had given him. A lonely Titan far into the Uncharted Area, untouched by Human hands. Yet that was where the thieves had taken the Core Crystals. Having them snatched out from beneath him was shameful, but he would reclaim the cores and return. Whoever had taken them would be punished.

Cautiously Jin slowed the vessel to a halt approximately one Titanped away from his destination. He would swim the rest of the way to make sure he was undetected. No foe on Alrest worried him, save perhaps Mythra herself, but it would be best not to allow them to retreat again. Enough time had already been wasted on this task. 

If Akhos’ operation failed to retrieve Mythra he would be forced to act. There was still a level of uncertainty as to whether his ability would be able to halt Siren, and if it did that would only work in scenarios where Siren could not physically enter combat. Having seen the behemoth Artifice in action five centuries before, Jin knew its array of weapons would be too dangerous to risk if Mythra was provided an open area with which to wield it. The situation would become untenable if Mythra were able to regain use of her second Artifice. 

Jin kept his head down as he swam quickly to shore. He made certain to use the puffy and shifting nature of the Cloud Sea to hide his approach. Once he set foot on the Titan he began his approach in a crouch. A silent and steadfast approach was more suited to this operation than raw speed.

There were sounds ahead as he made his way uphill. Clanking, banging, the sounds of metal on metal. Construction of some sort, perhaps. He heard no voices over that din, but the amount of noise made it likely that there were a dozen or more workers. Had they stolen Core Crystals for monetary gain in order to fund this construction? Or perhaps were these people hoping to Awaken those Cores for defense or additional labor?

When Jin reached the upper area of the hill he paused to observe the construction. A basic metal structure had been erected to elevate their materials so the bottom of the project could be reached. A series of metal glides had been placed descending down the opposite side of the Titan, likely intended to act as a ramp to guide what they were building into the Cloud Sea. A boat. They were building a boat of some kind. Only the exterior frame of the ship had been finished so far, but by the shape it was likely intended for transportation.

_‘But what purpose is served by building such a thing in the far reaches of the Cloud Sea?’_

Dusk was falling, but it appeared that posts had been placed around the construction and lights strung up. So far he could see no one present, but there were still noises. It seemed likely that work was being done on the other side of the Titan. Finishing the boat ramp was the most probable option.

His eyes scanned for any sign of the stolen Core Crystals, but wherever they were they had not been placed in an obviously visible location. It might be that his best option was to quickly slaughter everyone on the Titan, save one and then force the location out of that survivor. Should he wait for them to return? Yes, that was the best path.

One hour passed. Then two. Then three. Darkness fell and the lamp posts came alight, yet there was still no sign of the construction team. They had been working for at least three hours without even a moment’s pause. A surprisingly determined lot. It had become clear that he could not rely on them returning to the upper section of their construction project within a reasonable timeframe. 

Jin flashed forward, zipping at high speed across the ground until he stood next to the frame of the boat. A quick set of glances in each direction ascertained no foes so he continued ahead, dashing faster than most eyes could follow. What he found on the other side of the Titan was far beyond his expectations.

Sixteen identical figures worked tirelessly on the last section of the boat ramp. Sixteen inhuman creatures. Inhuman, but neither beast nor Blade. With brownish red armored bodies lined with sections of gold, spike-like legs, shiny silver cone-shaped faces, and a large right arm that resembled a high-tech drill, the things Jin was looking upon reminded him of one thing from his long memory.

_‘Artifices? All of those controlled by Malos were destroyed or rendered inoperable during the Aegis War, but these can be nothing else. Perhaps Mythra controlled more Artifices than even Malos was aware.’_

Yet if that were the case, these must not be Artifices suited to combat. If they were, then Mythra would have wielded them against Malos. Unless they were Artifices she had only gained control of after her recent return from five centuries of slumber. 

Jin recalled fighting the Artifices that Malos had commanded, primarily the black armored Artifices called Gargoyles. Those had been exceptionally powerful, stronger than any normal Driver and Blade. Deadly and varied attacks combined with tough hardened armor. The first attack Jin had ever made against a Gargoyle had nearly shattered his sword. He had needed to reinforce it with more of his ether in order to cut through that black shell. 

He was stronger now than he had been then. Back then he and Lora had been unable to best a lone Gargoyle without aid. Their lives hadn’t been in danger, but they had been incapable of dealing enough damage to put the Artifice out of commission. During the siege of Auresco their experience from the prior battle combined with the help of their allies had overcome the Gargoyles.

Nevertheless, Jin felt certain that if he attacked with the intent to kill from the very start he would be able to overcome these Artifices. If it became uncertain he could make use of his full power, although that had a terribly draining effect on his body. He would have to strike fast and destroy as many of them as possible so they were unable to group up on him. In this, speed would be his ally.

Jin reached up and gripped the hilt of his sword and then moved in the way that only he could. Focusing his ether into his blade the temperature around him dropped and he slashed, cleaving into the first Artifice’s shell and out the other side. There was resistance, but nothing that truly slowed him. 

Instantly all of the others became aware of him, even as he moved from Artifice to Artifice, hacking and cutting with all the strength he could muster. Truthfully he had been expecting more risk and tougher armor, but perhaps there was a large gulf in capabilities between these construction units and the Gargoyles.

The Artifices began opening fire from the tips of their drill-like arms, blasting lumps of ether energy at him. The attacks were surprisingly slow, making it easy to avoid them. Hopefully if Mythra had gained the use of new Artifices they were all on this level. If they were then the factory project would be suitable for their needs. 

Jin felt the touch of something against his hair and in that fragmentary portion of a second he reacted, ducking and tumbling out of the way. A heavy hammer, similar in color to the bodies of the Artifices, sailed just over his head. Had he been even a millisecond slower the damage would have been significant. 

“Oh? What’s this? Some pipsqueak come to play?” A Humanoid figure stood before Jin, clad in skintight metal armor the color of the hammer, with golden lines running across portions of it. Jin would have called it a Blade, but there was no sign of a core anywhere on its body. Its face was an odd bronze colored mask with golden spikes jutting out of the cheeks and several blades protruding from its chin like some twisted mockery of a beard. Malevolent red eyes stared out of holes in the mask.

_‘What is this? An Artifice capable of speech? Is this some new weapon of Mythra’s?’_ If Malos was aware of any Artifices with independent intelligence he hadn’t made it known. According to his comrade the Artifices were capable of a basic level of intelligence, describing them as operating with a ‘limited top-down AI’, able to proceed with specific tasks as long as they received core commands from an Aegis. Jin was not completely certain he had understood Malos’ explanation, although the man rarely bothered to go into detail on some of the oddities that made up an Aegis. 

The intelligent Artifice slung his hammer up onto his shoulder and cocked his head to the side, inspecting Jin in much the way Human children often looked at insects. A curiosity that could be played with or squashed at any moment. “I thought about letting you leave, but I realized I’m feeling pretty hungry here. And look at the mess you made, roughing up my precious M68s! Haven’t got too many of ‘em right now. So, gonna apologize or am I gonna have you for dinner?”

Jin assessed the situation. There were a number of unknown quantities involved. How dangerous should he expect this talking Artifice to be? As strong as a Gargoyle? Stronger? Weaker? The Artifices behind Jin, of which nine remained, were a minimal threat. What had this Artifice called them? M68s? That was a very different type of designation than the ones Jin was aware of. Malos had once mentioned that the Gargoyles had model numbers as well as that name. Perhaps these construction Artifices had a model number and a name.

Should he engage this Artifice or return to consult with Malos? “I believe you stole something from me. A batch of Core Crystals. I’ve come to take possession of them. If you understand, then I recommend handing them over. If you do not, I will use lethal force.”

The Artifice threw back his head and laughed, the lower jaw of his masked face coming unhinged and moving like a parody of a normal mouth. “You having a laugh? Threatening me? That ain’t the smart thing to do. Still, I got orders to squash any idiot that finds this place, so maybe you’ll put up a decent fight. Good thing too, I was getting bored having to sit around like this while the others got to run around and play.”

He held the massive hammer up above his head effortlessly in one hand and in the other electricity crackled. “Poor little silver-haired bastard, tonight you’ll be my first main course in a while! So get ready!”

Jin exhaled slowly and adjusted the grip on his sword. So, it would be a fight. Yes, this was for the best. Removing any of Mythra’s Artifices from play was the ideal option. “Very well, but I expect you will find me...rather difficult to digest.”

\-----------------

With the scarf draped around her neck and left to hang down to cover her Core Crystal, Chiyome really did look just like a Human. Zeke had met various Blades, including a number of Unique Blades who, like Pandoria, were very Human in appearance. However, the only two Blades he had ever met who looked as Human as she did were Haze and, assuming the appearance was correct, the Aegis herself. Not that Zeke had technically met her, but Chiyome in the Aegis’ guise counted. Sorta.

It was unsurprising, with that in mind, that she had managed to make it a full decade living in Torigoth without anyone realizing her true nature. Except, that is, for that Gormotti noble she had mentioned. 

Zeke had promised her protection in exchange for her providing a confession to the Empress of Mor Ardain. Despite his title, the truth was that he was a banished Crown Prince with no real authority. All he could rely on were his own wits and the connections he had made in Indol. If those things failed...well he had made a promise. He had been searching desperately through his memories of traveling with Pandy, trying to figure out a safe place for her to live, but there were scarce few.

Tantal itself, despite being isolationist, had active treaties with Indol. If he tried to set up a place for her to live in Tantal someone would grow suspicious, even if it was just assuming he had taken up a common woman as a lover. Besides all that, Tantal was a miserable place in its current state. 

He had even considered going to Haze to ask for her help, but that was a silly idea. Although Haze was one of the individuals presiding over matters involving Flesh Eaters, she had made it clear that she could not circumvent the laws or change them. Even the Praetor, who one might say _was_ the Praetorium, would be unlikely to alter those laws. They had stood for centuries, supposedly put to paper because Flesh Eaters had been involved in a number of high profile assassinations within Indol and some of the other major nations. 

More importantly, to the religion of Indol the Flesh Eaters represented a perversion of the Architect’s Will. Or so they said. Zeke didn’t subscribe to that sort of thing. When Zeke had asked Haze why she, such a kind and comforting woman, was involved in the containment and capture of Flesh Eaters she had been painfully straightforward with him. 

_“Prince Ozchlyrus, I cannot save Flesh Eaters or change their ultimate fate. What I can do is make their final days as painless as possible. This world of ours is often cruel, but buried within that cruelty I want to give those ill-fated souls a glimpse of kindness.”_

The pragmatic answer that should be expected from the Blade of Praetor Amalthus. From Zeke’s limited interactions with the man, it was clear he had very complicated views on Humanity. If Amalthus believed all of mankind was doomed or ill-fated, then what else could those refugee camps be called except a ‘glimpse of kindness’? 

As Zeke, Pandoria, and Chiyome loaded onto a transport ship bound for Mor Ardain, he continued to hunt for any ideas that might let him keep his promise. There was one option that came to mind, though he hadn’t spent much time there to be a good judge of how safe it would be. Still, he couldn’t help but recall a cheerful young man with lively golden eyes, warmly reminiscing about his home while the two of them waited on their respective Blades.

_“We haven’t got a lot back home in Fonsett Village, but everyone does their best to take care of each other. There’s all sorts of people there too, from all over Alrest. Sad quiet types who live alone on shacks on floating archipelago Titans, rowdy former mercenaries, people finding their way again after losing their homes...it’s an amazing place. When things get more settled, I’d really like to take her there.”_

_“Why’d you leave?”_

_“Why? I guess...so the rest of them don’t have to? More or less.”_

Maybe if this worked out, and Empress Morag dropped the charges against Rex and his friends, Zeke could convince the plucky little Salvager to find Chiyome a safe place to live in that home he spoke so fondly of. 

\------------------

Kildare had been surprised by how thorough the young researcher’s questions had been. There were plenty of parts she didn’t understand, but it was hard to say whether it was due to Shulk hiding certain things or her fragmented memories. 

From the bits she had been able to piece together, Shulk and his comrades weren’t from Tantal at all. Instead they hailed from a distant Titan that Kildare had no memory of, not that her memories meant a lot. Shulk himself was one of two researchers that had come on this trip, although the other wasn’t present with this group. That meant that there were others, although Kildare hadn’t attempted to learn anything further about them. It seemed that the others present were soldiers of some sort, with the man called Gadolt acting as their commander. 

There was a quiet sense of uncertainty and separation amongst these men that she hadn’t noticed at first. The youngest two, Shulk and the bulky brunette called Reyn, laughed and joked around casually with each other, but they were often slightly apart from the rest. She didn’t know if it was a matter of the other men being older or some secondary factor that divided them.

The most surprising aspect of their previous conversation had been an experiment Shulk had suggested. From within the inner pocket of his vest he had produced the Core Crystal Kildare had seen aboard the Gracious Wave and set it in front of her. “I’d like you to attempt to resonate with this Core Crystal. If you’d be willing,” he had said.

“Even knowing that failure to resonate could kill me?” From what Shulk had said, the thing she had resonated with was no Core Crystal. He had called it a Core Fragment, claiming it was a portion of the core of his Titan. Kildare was aware that dead Titans left Core Crystals behind, but the idea that a large Titan could produce something so similar yet so fundamentally different was intimidating.

“That’s right. Although, if my hypothesis is correct I believe you’re in no danger. I won’t force you to, it’s just something I’d like to investigate. We’ll be here a while, so you’ve got time to decide.” For such a young man he had a reassuring and calming way of speaking. Oddly, Kildare felt as if there was a sense of kinship between the two of them now that hadn’t been present before. She couldn’t place when or why that had started. Was it how out of place he seemed surrounded by serious soldier types?

Kildare had contemplated the situation for several minutes before coming to a decision. It was a risk, but she had been willing to take that slim chance in a moment of desperation aboard the Gracious Wave. Her courageous madness in that instant had been rewarded with a healed body and a chance to take revenge against the Blade of Blue Flame, the one who she was certain was responsible not just for her physical injuries, but for the trauma that had taken her memories.

She had stretched out her hand and placed it atop the shining blue Core Crystal. Its texture was the same as the Core Fragment she had resonated with, even though the colors were so different. Clearing her mind she had focused, trying to reach the same state of desire that she had felt aboard the Gracious Wave. 

_‘Please, Awaken for me. Help me fight. Help me take my revenge. Please!’_

The Core Crystal had sat cold and still in her hand, its light never faltering or growing. “It did not react. Perhaps I am simply doing this incorrectly.”

Shulk shook his head and recovered the Core Crystal, putting it back into his vest pocket. “From everything I’ve seen and all the texts I’ve come across a Core Crystal will react almost immediately if a person touches it with the deliberate intent to resonate. It doesn’t need direct skin contact or any specific ritual. I can’t say I understand the mechanism by which it operates, but it is fascinating. Did you want to resonate?”

“Yes. Very much so.” The additional ally would have been exceptionally helpful.

“The fact that the Core Crystal didn’t react to your attempt to resonate at all doesn’t prove anything quite yet, but it does give me a few theories. While there could be other situations where this phenomenon occurs, I’m aware of two separate types of cases where a Core Crystal simply doesn’t acknowledge the attempted resonance. Still, I don’t know enough to say more quite yet.” He had brushed his hands on his shorts and then stood to stretch. Kildare could see the soldiers watching them both carefully.

“What are those two types of cases?”, she had asked.

“I think it’s best I don’t say more quite yet. That might affect my attempts to test my hypothesis. If that’s okay with you?” 

Kildare wanted to demand the answer, but it seemed inappropriate. If these people hadn’t rescued her she would have drowned. Once again she found herself in debt to a group of strangers. “For now I’ll accept it.”

And so their time on the unnamed Titan had continued in a dreary fashion. That was, until a mid-sized Titan vessel made an approach toward the beach. From their reactions the soldiers and Shulk had been expecting this, although they hadn’t shared that information with any of the other survivors. That meant they had some method on their person to communicate across long distances. An ether beacon or something similar, otherwise someone would have noticed them talking to a distant person. A little trick to broadcast their coordinates to anyone paying attention to the correct frequency.

All of the groups had come together on the beach to greet the boat, hoping that this would be their savior. A large blonde haired man wearing a bandana to keep his ponytail in check stood at the helm, puffing happily away on a cigar. “Looks like I found you. What a miracle this is.”

Shulk, of all people, raised his arms and waved happily at the gruff looking older man. “Dickson! It’s wonderful to see you! And boy did we need this rescue.”

The brunette with the shield, Reyn, punched his blonde friend in the shoulder. “Come on Shulk, we were doing just fine.”

Kildare looked back up at this newcomer and for a moment she thought she saw his gaze lingering on her with a crooked smile. Then the next instant he was greeting everyone and telling them to come aboard.

As they boarded, Kildare heard one of the survivors from the Gracious Wave quietly speaking to one of his friends. “If they’ll drop us off, I want to go home to Mor Ardain one last time.”

“Huh? Isn’t that place miserable? Isn’t that why you left?”

“Yeah, but after nearly dying like that...I want to see something amazing just once. I want  
to see the Flamebringer and the Jewel just one time.”

“Ah, I’ve heard that Empress Morag’s Blade is gorgeous. I bet that’s a real treat for the eyes.”

Before she knew what was happening Kildare found herself standing directly in the path of the two now startled men. “The Empress of Mor Ardain...you said she’s called the Flamebringer? Why?”

Her accent and appearance had told her that she was likely Ardanian, but somehow she hadn’t realized something basic. Despite all of the detailed pieces of information rattling around in her mind, separate from her distant lost memories, she couldn’t recall the name or face of the ruler of Mor Ardain, let alone her Blade. Nothing at all about one of the most powerful people on Alrest.

The first man flinched back and gulped, but cautiously answered her. “Well she’s the strongest Driver in the Empire despite being the Empress, but I think it’s mostly because of how she wields the Jewel of Mor Ardain, the Empire’s strongest Blade.”

Kildare pressed further, her mind swirling and frantic. “What is her Blade like?”

Whatever her face looked like at that moment, the two men must have seen something frightening there, because they seemed to shrink away. “Uh, ah, well you uh...I’ve never seen her or the Empress before, but everyone says Lady Brighid is a true beauty. The strongest fire Blade on Alrest.”

Flamebringer. The strongest Blade of Flame. “What color?”

“Huh?”

“The color of the flames she wields.”

“Supposed to be blue fire, from what I’ve heard. Are...are you okay? Did you remember something?” Kildare shook her head and turned to walk away from the two men, ignoring the stares she was getting from the other passengers now aboard their rescue ship.

She had yet to remember anything from her past, but she had learned something new. Kildare clutched her hands tightly into fists and felt a smile come to her face. She knew not their faces, but now she knew the names of her enemies. The Blade of Blue Flame, Brighid, and her Driver, Morag the Flamebringer. 

_‘I’ll kill them both. Strongest Driver? Strongest Blade? I couldn’t care less. I’m going to swing my blade until both of them are dead at my feet.’_

\-------------------

The Vanguard came to a slow stop alongside a semi-decayed Titan. Its original shape was hard to discern, but Praxis thought it looked like a bird that had fallen into the Cloud Sea. Even Theory admitted that she didn’t recognize a Titan meeting its description, which combined with its state of deterioration meant it was truly ancient. Which was almost certainly why it was adrift so far into the Uncharted Area.

“Get out of the damned boat already!” From the rear Metal Face, or whatever his true name might be, berated them. He had grown increasingly agitated during their long trip and his wounds hadn’t regenerated in the slightest. It still was unclear what he was, but the behemoth lingering beneath the boat had kept them in check. 

Byron had been convinced they could crush whatever it was, but Theory had disabused him of that notion. There was no way they could properly fight while on the Cloud Sea and if they tried they were likely to be left with no means of transportation, sink into the Cloud Sea, and drown. 

Everyone stepped out onto the rocky surface of the Titan and they moved to secure their ship’s position. However, before they could do more than take out the pitons and rope something strange came trundling toward them. A dozen head sized creatures, like spiders made of steel, swarmed forward from behind a jutting section of blackened Titan shell. 

Theory held out a hand to call upon her sword, but Metal Face shoved past her. “Let them do their thing. They’ll tie the boat up. Come on, we’re heading towards the center.”

Praxis and Theory exchanged looks, their decades long history telling them everything they needed to know. As soon as they were far enough away from the Vanguard they would crush Metal Face. Both versions. They’d have to be swift and deadly. No need to risk destroying their only method of transportation. Especially considering…

From out of the water emerged the towering figure that had been threatening their safety. Easily at least three times the height of a normal person and broad, but its black and gold metal limbs were surprisingly thin. Its appearance was made eerier by the mask on its face that matched their supposed comrade and its long skeletal bladed fingers. 

The one they knew as Metal Face claimed that this monster was the actual Metal Face, but offered them no name for himself. Somehow the two were able to communicate silently and from a distance, though they hadn’t been able to determine how. It stalked behind them as if herding. It was difficult to say how strong it might be, but they were all strong Blades capable of acting with no issues even without the presence of their Drivers. 

The smaller Metal Face led them through a winding sequence of discarded and rotted bits of Titan shell that formed a sort of slot canyon with multiple spots that seemed to break off into other pathways. It was a veritable maze, though it was likely most of those paths were dead ends. 

Partway into their walk Theory made a distinct and discrete gesture, pointing out to Praxis that more of those metal spiders were keeping watch from the tops of the chunks of Titan shell. Praxis made sure not to draw any attention to the fact that they were being observed. Byron and the others weren’t as good at silent activity. That was why on missions requiring stealth and discretion it was the tag team of Praxis and Theory that went. 

Praxis knew part of that was that her Driver, Gabadon, had been partners with Theory’s Driver Waldemar for a long time, but so had Byron’s Driver William. It was just that Praxis and Theory were a perfect match. Practically sisters. That was why Praxis and Theory had agreed years ago that, if they were ever on a mission where the only way to escape was to sacrifice their allies, that they would do so.

Without hesitation.

All of them stopped dead as they came around another bend and found themselves at the edge of a truly massive crater that stretched across roughly a third of the Titan’s rocky back. Mechanical creatures of all shapes and sizes scurried around the rim of the crater as well as traveling down carved out paths down to the mostly flat bottom.

A series of buildings were deep under construction, mostly squat and unattractive metal structures. There were signs of construction materials laid out to eventually connect them all into one colossal base of some kind. 

Metal Face swept his arm out wide in a gesture meant to encompass everything going on in the crater. In his sneering voice he said, his tone malicious, “Welcome to Yvain Fortress!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We've returned to the current time. I'm aware there's some elements in this chapter that probably make people uncomfortable, they made me a little uncomfortable to write, but hopefully I kept to enough of a minimum that it wasn't too bad for folks. Hope you all still enjoyed and continue to do so. That being said...
> 
> Another author on Archive, Darandus548 who pens/types A Place Called Home has put together a Xenoblade Discord server. I'll just quote Darandus here.
> 
> "It's for people who write and want feedback for, share art for, or want to talk about Xenoblade or the rest of the franchise. But if you want to come by to just hang out that would be nice as well. We talk about other stuff too, y'know." 
> 
> If you want to join us here is the relevant Discord link.
> 
> https://discord.gg/ypxRCNJXfY


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